Bilingual education has been practiced in many forms, in many countries, for thousands of years. Defined broadly, it can mean any use of two languages in school – by teachers or students or both – for a variety of social and pedagogical purposes.

In today’s context, a period of demographic transformation in United States, bilingual education means something more specific. It refers to approaches in the classroom that use the native languages of English language learners (ELLs) for instruction. Goals include:

• teaching English,
• fostering academic achievement,
• acculturating immigrants to a new society,
• preserving a minority group’s linguistic and cultural heritage,
• enabling English speakers to learn a second language,
• developing national language resources, or
• any combination of the above.

How does bilingual education work?

In different ways, because numerous program models are used. These are often classified as transitional, developmental, or two-way bilingual education, depending on the program’s methods and goals. But within these short-hand categories there are significant variations:

• Sometimes the transition to the all-English mainstream is rapid (one to three years), sometimes gradual (five to six years).
• Classrooms may be composed entirely of ELLs, or they may include native English speakers who are learning Spanish, Chinese, Navajo, or some other language.
• Students are sometimes taught a full curriculum in their native language and in English. Elsewhere ELLs may receive only native-language support – periodic translations or tutoring – with lessons conducted primarily in English.

Do bilingual programs teach English?

Virtually all bilingual education models feature some form of instruction in English as a second language (ESL). Some, such as sheltered instruction or content-based ESL, teach English through immersion techniques – that is, through using the second language to teach academic content. Others teach English through direct instruction, either in the classroom or through individual or small-group tutoring, often described as ESL pullout.

In other words, English instruction is a component of bilingual education. But all-English programs such as structured English immersion – as recently mandated by English-only laws in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts – do not meet the definition of bilingual education.

Why are there so many ways to “do” bilingual education?

The short answer: In education, there is no “one size fits all.” Children’s backgrounds and needs are diverse; so are the aspirations of parents and communities. Some program models are appropriate in one situation, but not in others. Experimentation is necessary – indeed, it is vital – because we don’t have all the answers.

Does that mean we don’t know whether bilingual education is effective?

Not at all. Research over the past generation has yielded important findings. Foremost among these are the benefits of well designed and well implemented bilingual education programs. Studies have consistently shown that developing ELLs’ native-language skills leads to higher levels of academic achievement, as well as proficient bilingualism and biliteracy – increasingly valuable skills in today’s global economy.