Dual-immersion bilingual programs, which teach English Learners (ELs) and native English speakers in two languages, are wildly popular among educated, affluent, English-speaking parents. They’re sold on the cognitive advantages of learning in two languages and see dual immersion as enrichment. Immigrant parents need to be persuaded: They see mastery of English as a necessity.
I wrote about California’s push to bring back bilingual education — nearly all new programs use the dual-language model — in Education Next. The shortage of bilingual teachers is limiting expansion.
For all the enthusiasm about dual immersion, a number of advocates worry that the needs of ELs will come second to the needs of classmates with advantaged, assertive parents.
“We have to understand the equity issue,” said Anya Hurwitz, director of the Sobrato Early Academic Language program. “Who is the program serving?”
The Austin Independent School District followed the progress of English Learners in dual-language, late-exit bilingual and English as a Second Language classrooms through seventh grade, comparing their test scores to those of non-ELs. Non-ELs in dual-language programs did very well. However, English Learners in dual programs did worse in reading in seventh grade than those taught in English or in late-exit bilingual programs.
In math, ELs did about the same by seventh grade, regardless of the program.
The report also includes a set of non-ELs matched by economic disadvantage to ELs and taught in mainstream classes. They scored slightly better than the ELs in reading, the same in math. They did much worse than the non-ELs in dual programs.
Everyone peaked in fifth grade, then slid in middle school.
It’s likely the native English speakers in dual-language programs are the children of educationally ambitious parents. I’d expect them to do well, even if the cognitive advantages of learning in two languages are modest. But where’s the dual-language advantage for the neediest kids?