Bilingual Education for Minority Language Students in the US

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Problem Statement
Review of the Article
Methodology and Suggestions for Improvement
Lesson Plan
Conclusion and Discussion
Works Cited

Introduction

I have chosen the article by Kim, MyungHee. Bilingual Education for Minority Language Students in the US: Lessons from the Case of Elementary School in California. Advanced Science and Technology Letters 101 (2015): 106-109, which was found using the following keywords education and learning in Google Scholar. According to Kim, the aim of the research is to underline the significance of the bilingual approach and determine the trends in this field in American society (p. 106). The research questions are What are the potential trends in the bilingual learning environment? and How the classes can be improved?. The methodology used is a case study and literature review. However, it has irrelevant methodology and analysis as it lacks a sufficient qualitative approach. In this case, relevant and suitable techniques and analysis will be proposed in the discussion section and as a suggestion for future research. The paper is meant for educationists and teachers who are interested in this field.

Problem Statement

Kim states that the primary problem is to focus on is the fact that the effects of bilingual education have not been studied precisely (2015, p. 106). Consequently, the paper focuses on the analysis of recent educational trends in this area (Kim, 2015, p. 106). Several researchers also identified and described the significance of this issue in their studies. This problem is vital for American society, as an increased immigration rate questions what is the best way to educate newcomers (Garcia and Lesley, 2007, p. 1). It is evident that bilingualism, which can be defined as using major and minor languages simultaneously for educational purposes, is one of them. In this case, the dominant language is English, and the minor one is the one, which is spoken by a cultural minority in the USA.

The necessity of the bilingualism improvement remains high due to the high immigration rates and positive influence on the development of the students. As for the theoretical framework, the research suggests that bilingualism is beneficial for students, as it positively affects their cognitive skills (Kim, 2015, p. 106). Bialystok, Peets, and Moreno claim the positive development due to bilingualism are true as children have the ability to participate in bilingual classes and communicate in two languages simultaneously (2014, p. 177).

However, acceptance of bilingualism becomes a problem, as, for example, bilingual education starts being unacceptable due to the restriction of the educational policies (Menken and Solorza, 2014, p. 96). It is critical to evaluate bilingual options for education in American society, as it helps find a favorable solution to a problem. The sources, which were chosen for the problem determination, are relevant, as they come from reliable scholarly journals. It is apparent that peer-reviewed articles and publications are consistent sources of information.

Review of the Article

In the study, Bilingual Education for Minority Language Students in the US: Lessons from the Case of Elementary School in California by Kim, bilingual education is shown as a suitable approach to teach LED (limited language proficient students) or ELLs (English language learners) (Kim, 2015, p. 107). It is a useful learning technique for students who have a basic or lack of knowledge of the English language. In this case, students adapt easier to the environmental language and get used to spoken English. However, a primary limitation of the research is the fact that only a literature review and case study were used to collect data. The case study was more descriptive than analytical since only the potential trends were monitored in the study. According to the case study, the sample includes one dual-language class formed to combine fluent and non-fluent speakers of Korean and English in The Third Elementary School (Kim, 2015, p. 108). In this case, the primary variables might have been the ratios of fluent and non-fluent speakers of each language. Nonetheless, this description of the results is limited, and the analysis is absent. However, the arguments still seemed convincing, as they allowed an understanding of the necessity of bilingualism as a part of the school education. It seemed that it was a primary tool, which helps the beginners to enhance their language skills.

Methodology and Suggestions for Improvement

In the article, the researcher uses a case study as a primary method to acquire information about the bilingualism. In this case, The Third Elementary School is observed, as Korean and English elementary classes are practiced here. Nonetheless, the limitation of the approach is the fact that the case study lacks a thorough analysis and sufficient methodological techniques. A better way might be using the observations since the suitable variables can be introduced. The detailed description of the suggested approach is provided below. In this instance, observing the natural environment and the behavior of the students during the dual classes, where 60% of the class are fluent in Korean, and 40% are fluent in English, is the most suitable method.

Intensities of each language (variable), teaching approaches (variable), and ratios of Korean to English students (variable) could be manipulated to see their influence on English language comprehension among students who are fluent in Korean. The researcher can manipulate the variables by implementing different teaching techniques, rearranging the groups of students, and changing the ratio of Korean to English students in each group. After the longitudinal observation, psychological tests can be conducted to evaluate the improvements in cognitive skills. In this case, the results will be assessed by a meta-analysis of different teaching approaches. Consequently, a suitable teaching technique for bilingual students will be determined.

Additionally, in the article, the researcher applies the literature review to understand the primary trends in bilingual education. A fundamental limitation of this approach is the fact that the analysis only describes current trends and does not provide sufficient analysis of various approaches to bilingual education in the USA. In this instance, it will help improve the existing bilingual teaching techniques and introduce new approaches to bilingual education. The literature review can be utilized as a supplemental tool to gather background information and underline the significance of the problem. Nonetheless, Kim employs it as one of the primary instruments to describe trends, and it is not applicable in the context of the study.

As it was mentioned earlier, a better way might be observations. As the research lacks variables, the proposed variables are intensities of each language, teaching approaches, and ratios of Korean to English students. The absence of variables contributes to the internal lack of validity, as not interdependence between the teaching strategies and ratios of Korean to English students can be seen. In this case, the communicative teaching method would be the most suitable approach, as it increases the level of communication by encouraging the students to participate in the discussion (Liu, Li, and Zuo, 2011, p. 187). These factors will help evaluate which are the most appropriate bilingual conditions to improve cognitive skills among bilingual students.

Lesson Plan

As for the lesson plan, the first assignment will require students to introduce themselves in Korean and then in English; after that, the students will be divided into several groups depending on their language skills. It is easier to modify the intensity of each language in small groups. Moreover, the communicative teaching method will be adopted, as it is suitable for increasing speaking skills among students (Liu, Li, and Zuo, 2011, p. 187). As for the other assignments, after that, the topic will be introduced, and a discussion can occur in small groups. Each member of the group will write his/her ideas on the whiteboard, and a class discussion will take place. Writing tasks about the topic will be assigned as homework and evaluated in agreement with the language skills of a student. In the end, I suggest using group learning as a methodology for the class activity.

Conclusion and Discussion

In conclusion, the paper emphasized the importance of bilingual education in American society and its trends. As for the suggestions, the methodological approach was not practical, as the article was more descriptive than analytical. Longitudinal observation of multiple variables should be used to acquire data, which would be applicable in the future. It helps collect detailed results and discover a broader solution in determining the right trends to improve bilingual learning implications.

Works Cited

Bialystok, Ellen, Kathleen Peets and Sylvian Moreno. Producing bilinguals through immersion education: Development of metalinguistic awareness. Applied Psycholinguistics 35.1 (2014): 177-191.

Garcia, Ofelia, and Bartlett Lesley. A Speech Community Model of Bilingual Education: Educating Latino Newcomers in the USA. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 10.1 (2007): 1.

Kim, MyungHee. Bilingual Education for Minority Language Students in the US: Lessons from the Case of Elementary School in California. Advanced Science and Technology Letters 101 (2015): 106-109.

Liu, Suang, Xizuo Li and Li Zuo. Adopting Communicative Teaching Method in Computer Major Bilingual Teaching. Theory and Practice in Language Studies 1.2 (2011): 187-190.

Menken, Kate, and Cristian Solorza. No Child Left Bilingual: Accountability and the Elimination of Bilingual Education Programs in New York City Schools. Educational Policy 28.1 (2014): 96-125.

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