“Three meta-analytic studies have shown that bilingual education is an effective method for teaching students who are English language learners.” (Ryan 2007) In this article, “Two tests of the Effectiveness of Bilingual Education in Preschool”, provides an insight of bilingual education starting at preschool level. The research compares a cohort of students who had received bilingual education in preschool but English only in kindergarten with a cohort of students who received English only in both preschool and kindergarten. “Mounting evidence continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of bilingual education in improving academic performance of English language learners.” (Ryan 2007) This study builds on a prior study, and uses two additional data sources to evaluate the association between preschool bilingual education and literacy outcomes. It specifies three meta-analytic studies to support the effectiveness of bilingual education.
The first meta-analytical analyses found an overall small to moderate statistically significant positive effect for bilingual educational programs. The second meta-analytical analyses also found that bilingual education programs had a small to moderate positive effect. The third analyses and more recently demonstrated that bilingual education is consistently superior. These three studies provide factual evidence of the effectiveness of bilingual education starting from kindergarten. This study takes it a step ahead and analyzes the effects on preschool students. Research has shown that Spanish speakers attending a bilingual preschool showed greater language improvement than Spanish speaking students who did not attend preschool. “In the United States, bilingual education has been determined partly be federal government, partly by state government, partly by litigation, partly by local initiatives, and partly by individuals. There has been neither total centralization nor full devolution to states in bilingual education. Whiles states engage in much planning and policy-making, the federal government has exerted powerful influence through funding, legislation, and law. Bilingual education in the United States has moved through constant changes in the perspectives of politicians, administrators and educationalists that indicate underlying shifts in ideology, preference, and practice.” (Baker and Wright p. 173) What are the states expectations to the acceptance of language diversity, will English always be looked upon as the majority language, and will the minority languages continue to have less value. During the 19th century there were several studies that concluded that bilinguals were mentally confused, at a disadvantage when thinking, and other series of weaknesses. The early research depicting that being bilingual caused detrimental affects was then challenged by individual studies and cumulatively across studies. Bilingual education has a vast history spanning over five thousand years. In the United States, Bilingual Education has been changing history and has impacted legislation, litigation, and state and federal initiatives. While there has been much negativity placed on bilingual education there is room to of more positive and accepting times ahead.
This research concluded with two separate sets of analyses. “This study found evidence supporting the effectiveness of bilingual education in a low-income preschool setting, but only at marginally significant levels of inference.” (Ryan 2007) The results of the study favored the students receiving bilingual education. The effectiveness of bilingual education goes beyond language instruction and language outcomes. Some important factors to consider are the intake of students and language balance, shared vision and goals among staff, staffing, teacher professional development, leadership, curriculum, ethos and environment, expectation, individualization, and parents. There should always be high expectations and positive environment in bilingual education. High expectations among teachers, administration, and students is important for the school environment especially if there is at risk students. Everything needs to be taken into account before creating a strong and effective bilingual program.
Work Cited.
Baker, C. & Wright, W.E., (2017). Foundations
of bilingual education and bilingualism, 6th
Edition, p.
173. UK: Short Run Press Ltd
Ryan, A. (2007). Two
tests of the effectiveness of bilingual education in preschool. Journal
of Research in Childhood Education, 21(4), 352-352.
