BILINGUAL EDUCATION

There are many students attending American public schools who are non-English speaking or who are of limited English-speaking ability. Such students cannot benefit fully from regular school programs where the language of instruction is English. This lack of English proficiency has an adverse effect on achievement, creates problems of self-image, increases truancy and dropout rates, and, ultimately, limits opportunities for economic success and full participation in the political and social life of the country.

The American Federation of Teachers believes that meaningful programs in bilingual education are necessary for those children who do not have the fluency and literacy in English to benefit effectively from classes where English is the language of instruction. A bilingual education program should meet the needs of all non-English speaking students by providing both basic skill instruction in a language in which the student can effectively participate and intensive English language instruction. The goals of such programs should be two-fold:

The program should enable children to achieve proficiency in spoken English as soon as possible so that they may participate fully in regular classes where English is the language of instruction.

Until such proficiency level is achieved, the child should be able to receive instruction in his or her dominant language in the regular curriculum appropriate for his or her age and ability levels.

Many problems have existed with some bilingual education programs. Recent research studies have raised doubts about the effectiveness of many bilingual programs studied and have documented certain abuses, including the placement of children in bilingual education programs because of surname rather than lack of English proficiency. There are programs which emphasize a multicultural component to the detriment of instruction in English language skills. The end result of some of these abuses is that some bilingual education programs have become tools for ethnic nationalism and separatism and have resulted in ethnic segregation in the public schools. In these instances, school programs have been taken over by groups for political objectives or purposes unrelated to the function of the schools.

An appropriate bilingual education program should provide for:

• The mastery of the regular school curriculum for all children.

• Intensive instruction in the English language.

• An orderly and timely transition to the regular school program as soon as possible.

To meet these ends, the AFT adopts the following policies regarding bilingual education:

Bilingual Programs

Bilingual education programs should be transitional in nature and designed to place children in the regular school program as soon as possible.

Emphasis in bilingual education programs should be mastery of basic skills in language arts, reading, and mathematics.

Placements

Students should be placed in bilingual programs only after appropriate assessment has demonstrated inadequate proficiency in spoken English to benefit from classes where English is the language of instruction.

Parental permission should be obtained prior to placement in a bilingual education program.

Children in bilingual programs should be assessed annually and placed in regular school programs when an adequate and appropriate level of English proficiency has been attained.

Certification and Training

All bilingual personnel should be certified and licensed in substantive instructional areas (e.g., elementary education, special education, social studies, art, science, mathematics and supportive personnel), as well as possessing ancillary qualifications in bilingual education. These qualifications should include a demonstrable proficiency in language skills as well as an ability to teach in cross-cultural settings.

In-service training programs should be available to assist currently employed personnel to attain the skills, knowledge's, and attitudes needed to teach in bilingual programs.

In-service programs should be based on teacher needs and those of supportive staff planned with significant teacher and supportive personnel input.

Teachers and supportive staff in bilingual education programs whose native language is other than English should be fully fluent in English.

Research

Efforts need to be made to increase the amount and quality of research conducted relating to bilingual education.

Results of bilingual education research need to be translated into a meaningful form for use by classroom teachers.

Funding

The federal government should increase the amount of funds available for bilingual education, especially in the areas of research and in-service training for teachers and supportive personnel.

The design of federal programs in bilingual education should take into consideration the residual problems of local school districts in maintaining such programs when federal funding terminates.

Personnel Practices

All teachers and other staff in bilingual education programs should be citizens of the United States unless none are available selected on a single objective standard of competence, with no discrimination on the basis of sex, creed, color, race, or national origin.

Post-Secondary Education

Similar principles should apply to bilingual education programs on the post-secondary level. Such bilingual programs should be transitional in purpose with the primary objective being instruction in English language skills coordinated with mastery of the chosen course of study.

The American Federation of Teachers supports valid bilingual education programs designed to meet the educational needs of students and opposes programs which result in the segregation of programs of schools by ethnic group or race.