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Dual Language Research Paper

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Dual Language Program Dual-language (DL) programs purpose is to create bilingual, and bicultural students without sacrificing these students’ accomplishments in school. The goals of (DL) programs are to offer quality instruction for language minority students and to provide instruction in a second language for English-speaking students. (Garcia, 2005) DL programs also target for biliteracy (the ability to read and write in two languages). Dual language is a program where English-speaking students, and English language learners (ELL) are joined in the same classroom. Instruction is taught in two languages: English and their native language of the (ELL). The objective of the instruction is for both groups of students to become fluently bilingual benefiting each other.
Dual Language Program Compared to other Bilingual Programs Research from a variety of studies shows that students in dual language programs achieve similar or higher levels compared to other bilingual programs. Lindholm-Leary K. (2012) demonstrates that: (1) students in DLE programs perform at …show more content…

But research shows that even though students make good progress toward high levels of proficiency in the two languages, studies of student language use in the classroom clearly shows that there are challenges to address in this area. (Lindholm Leary, 2012; Potowski’s, 2007) observations of fifth- and eighth-grade students in a Spanish/English DLE program showed that although students did develop bilingual skills, they did not develop highly proficient or balanced bilingual skills, because they were more dominant, and felt more comfortable speaking, in English than in Spanish. In addition, DeJong and Bearse (2011) have also shown that secondary DLE students feel that they do not receive sufficient opportunity or support to develop high levels of Spanish within the DLE

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