Language Barriers

Dual language learners are children learning two or more languages at the same time, as well as those learning a second language while continuing to develop their first (or home) language (Dual language learning, 2008). The number of children being raised in bilingual homes is large and growing, however the mechanism of language development in children from bilingual homes is not well described or understood (Hoff et al., 2011). A large body of research has refuted the opinion that dual language input may confuse children, and other research indicates that children exposed to two languages can distinguish those languages from infancy, learn two phonological systems, two vocabularies and two grammars (Kova´cs & Mehler, 2009a; Petitto,

To learn a second languages is very important because people have better opportunities in life. For children from ages five and under it is the best time to learn as many languages. Angele Sancho Passe, the author of “Dual-Language Learners (Birth to Grade 3)”, talks about techniques for teaching English in a multilingual classroom and how reading in english to dual-language learners helps teach them oral language skills. Patton O. Tabors, the author of “One Child, Two Languages”, talks about writing case studies of children displaying different second language abilities. In the article, “Ways to Introduce Your Kids to Foreign Languages” by Grace Hwang Lynch, believes two-way bilingual immersion is a helpful way to introduce foreign languages

One of the greatest challenges the aforementioned programs face as stated by Deborah K. Palmer and Ramon Antonio Martinez is: “…bilingual students are placed into classrooms that do not cultivate biliteracy" (379). It is relatively known that most programs emphasize English and completely disregard the learner’s first language, oftentimes providing all instructions in English and leaving those who have yet to learn the language behind. Thus, this practice is unfair to those still learning English and is still being studied in order to refine the programs and give all learners the ability to improve upon their biliteracy, or bilingual literacy. In terms of maintaining bilingual education programs, teachers must support biliteracy development by changing the perspective on language from monolingual to bilingual, in order to create a “learning space for the development of biliteracy among bilingual students” (383). Above all, we must rethink language as a whole (384). To clarify, the focus must be shifted from looking at methods and strategies to improve bilingual programs, to plainly understanding language and what bilingualism even means. Despite the fact that multilingual programs have limitations in their efficiency, there are places where there aren’t even any programs to begin with. As a matter of fact, it is relatively doable to begin implementing dual language programs at any schools, and as said by Dr. Audrey Figueroa Murphy; the added benefit that the programs carry is the potential to be advantageous to any student (47). Continuing on, dual language programs can prosper in schools with; appropriately skilled/certified teachers, students with a native language other than English, and above all, parent support (49-50). Multilingual programs offer a pathway to “academic success, bilingualism, and multicultural

Challenges Faced by Hispanic Students in American Schools and How Schools Can Address Identified Needs

Cultural Diversity has lead schools to promote dual language and bilingual programs for ELL students. However, raising bilingual children according to Marsha Rosenberg is not something that simply happens. Parents must carefully consider how they will raise their children in their new culture. Unfortunately, many parents often forget that neglecting their primary language in the process of raising their children will only hurt them in the long run. However, what they fail to understand is that our current society insists on developing diverse learners, who can speak two or more languages and are diverse (Gensee, n.d). Therefore, in order to raise bilingual students they parents must provide the children with rich experiences at home as well as in a variety of settings (Broekhuizen, n.d.). Furthermore, families need to maintain a close family unity and sense of belonging when dealing with the bilingual issue at home.

It is important in the United States to have a competitive workforce, and a great way to do that is to have a society of learners that can communicate with people of other cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Although there are efforts for teaching school children other languages, most programs are primitive at best, left to be forgotten before the skills reach the point of relevancy. Dual language programs should be established in the US wherever feasible to give parents, at the very least, the choice to expand the minds of their children. Recent years have seen the inclusion of voluntary language immersion programs in places such as Athens, Georgia, in which students are taught from Kindergarten in two languages. These are steps in the right

“No Habla English”. “21 million people living in the United States cannot speak English. Citizens are not just speaking Spanish, but Chinese and Russian are rising fast.” (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2009) To force a citizen to speak a new language is discrimination. Non-English speaking citizens and immigrants that are without good English skills will fall academically, in the judicial system and when receiving proper medical care.

When an educator walks into her classroom for the first time, she needs to be prepared to encounter students that come from a variety of backgrounds. The children will be in different stages of language development, and the educator must accommodate for each of these students. Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera (2013) state, “The US Census Bureau projects that by the 2030s, children whose home language is other than English will increase from roughly 22 percent to 40 percent of the school-age population” (p. 9). This increase in second language learners will cause the educator to accommodate for those needs. Second language learners “need teachers who welcome them and recognize their unique abilities, what they know, and what they need to learn” (Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera, 2013, p. 10).

The amount of young children who are acquiring English as a second or even third language in the early care and education (ECE) setting as well as K-12 public classrooms have amplified across the United States in recent years (Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). These young children that are acquiring two or more languages concurrently, or learning a second language along with refining their native language are considered dual language learners (DLLs) (Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). The number of DLLs has multiplied tremendously and now accounts for 25% of all children living in the United States (p. 40). The Office of Head Start (2011) state that fifty-nine percent of the children enrolled in the Head Start Programs were from racial or ethnic minority families, 37% were Hispanic/Latino and more than 30% were dual language learners (as cited in Espinosa, 2015, p. 40). Unfortunately, starting from the preschool stage and throughout high school, the educational achievements of DLLs tend to

Education in the New Latino Diaspora also discusses how language barriers can occur within the schools. Yolanda told me that she experienced language barriers here plenty of times. While her daughters have the advantage of being native English speakers, Yolanda does not. The reading states, “In some places, growth of the new Latino diaspora helps explain the proliferation of classroom trailers and the shortage of teachers, particularly those trained in TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages)” (Hamann and Harklau, page 160)

Competency is something education and care services and educators strive for constantly. It is what a service must demonstrate to prove it is meeting or exceeding the National Quality Standard. But there is a special type of competency that all services must achieve to deliver high quality education and care to all children—cultural competency. Cultural competence is an essential practice of both the Early Years Learning Framework and the Framework for School Aged Care—My Time, Our Place. It is based on the principle contained in both frameworks—respect for diversity. Can educators and services ever truly become culturally competent? Many would say that achievement of this competency is always just beyond grasp. That is why the

The Latino Education Crisis describes the cumulative disadvantages faced by too many children in the complex American school systems, where one in five students is Latino. Many live in poor and dangerous neighborhoods, attend impoverished and underachieving schools, and are raised by parents who speak little English and are the least educated of any ethnic group (Gándara and Contreras, 2010).

In a country like America where people all over the world come to obtain a better future for themselves and their children, there is a large diversity in culture and languages. Most immigrant families come to America speaking a different language and have to adapt to the American language, English. However, several people do not learn English or have difficulty learning it. Usually older people struggle to learn English because they do not have time. Though, children may not have a hard time learning the English language because they are often sent to school. Currently children are now expected to learn a new foreign language, but most of the children’s families would like them to continue speaking their native language as well.

This article is about the different Dual Language programs available and their effectiveness. It analyzes different researches and literature available on this topic and it evaluates its efficacy and results after implementation. The article begins by explaining the 90:10 and 50:50 Dual Language model and its successful outcomes. It explains that students in the Dual Language programs become proficient in two languages and by the time the reach fifth grade they are performing at or above their monolingual peers. It also states the challenges these programs face, including instruction, assessments, materials and curriculum. It also provides ideas that can help the program work effectively.

The United States is described as a nation of immigrants. Since colonial times, thousands of millions of people from across the world have left their homes in search of something. Most of them settled in the United States in search of economic opportunity, political or religious freedom, or to reunite with family members. This long history of immigration has made the United States one of the world’s most ethnically and culturally diverse nations. One aspect of this cultural diversity is the presence of many different languages within its borders. United state is also known as salad bowl because it has absorbed many different cultures and