![]() ![]() MARGO GOTTLIEB: Look around your classroom and listen to the voices in the hallways. ![]() More states need to put in place similar commitments and initiatives at the state level in order to address, prepare, and retain bilingual teachers.ĭAN ALPERT: Why is it important for educators and other stakeholders to support multilingualism in our schools? Additional Global 2030 goals that address multilingualism in California include: a) by 2030, half of all K–12 students participate in programs leading to proficiency in two or more languages, either through a class, a program, or an experience b) the number of dual immersion programs that teach languages besides English quadruples from about 400 in 2017 to 1,600 in 2030 (CDE, 2018). With the support of California Assembly Bill 99, CDE has been able to also provide funding for bilingual teacher professional development, including the authorization of new bilingual teachers. In order to address this issue, the California Department of Education (CDE) Global 2030 initiative has laid out a commitment to multilingualism, which includes a focus on doubling the number of new bilingual teachers authorized between 20. In California, with the passage of Proposition 58 in 2016 halting restrictive English-only policies for our multilingual learners, there has been a resurgence of dual-language immersion programs and a shortage of bilingual teachers. ![]() Since ELs are the linguistic minority, and have the most to gain from multilingual programs, we must make sure that their representation and needs are at the forefront.Ī second barrier to multilingualism is the bilingual teacher shortage. Thomas and Collier’s research reminds us that we must be vigilant in order to ensure equity on behalf of ELs in multilingual programs today. Additionally, many new programs are often launched as ways to increase student enrollment among native speakers, while our many multilingual students would benefit even more. ![]() But if we look at the research as it relates to our English learners specifically, dual-language education is the only model that will enable them to fully close the achievement gap and even outperform their native-English-speaking classmates on standardized tests (Thomas and Collier, 2012). Too often, our multilingual programs prioritize students who already have linguistic privilege because dual-language education has such a clear and positive impact on native English speakers. First, despite the growing number of dual-language programs, the privileged majority still seems to benefit most, while our historically and linguistically oppressed students, our English learners (ELs) in particular, are relegated to the sidelines. IVANNIA SOTO: The two biggest barriers are equity and access to multilingual programs, and the bilingual teacher shortage. Most remarkable of all, the simultaneous development of both English and their home languages is associated with stronger performance in English among our English learners as compared to students who are educated monolingually (Genesee, Paradis, and Crago, 2010).ĭAN ALPERT: What are some common barriers to multilingualism in our present-day educational systems, and how can we begin to disrupt them? Academically, multilingual students’ ability to switch between two languages tends to increase their attention spans and make them better multitaskers and more open to change (Kamenetz, 2016). Research has also proven that students who are able to speak, read, and write in two or more languages can simultaneously participate in multiple cultural and language worlds this is a big sociocultural benefit of multilingualism, as language and culture are intertwined. According to, “Lifelong bilinguals have increased connectivity in certain areas of the brain that help protect them from dementia.” If we look at health benefits, multilingualism even deters dementia and Alzheimer’s. For example, bilingualism requires increased cognitive flexibility and better problem-solving skills (Californians Together, 2017). Cognitively, multilingual proficiency strengthens how the brain functions. IVANNIA SOTO: There are so many benefits associated with multilingualism. DAN ALPERT: What are the most important academic, cognitive, and cultural benefits of multilingualism? ![]()
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