School Reform Through Bilingual Education: Problems and Some Solutions in Evaluating Programs

Abstract

The origins of bilingual education are as varied as the community, societal, and political settings in which they are located. In the United States, for example, the recent resurgence of interest in bilingual education has largely been a consequence of a society which claims to provide equal opportunity to all. It has come to be recognized that equal educational opportunity to minority-language children whose facility in the school language (English) is limited can best be achieved through the provision of instruction in the children's dominant language while proficiency in English is being developed. In Canada, however, the recent growth of bilingual education has largely been a consequence of political entities which are committed to providing services in the country's two official languages. Bilingualism holds the promise of economic rewards through both increased job opportunities and financial bonuses. For French-Canadians, who without bilingual schooling have formed the base of Canada's bilingual population, this implies that French will continue to be the language of instruction. For English-Canadians, however, the school is coming to be seen as a potential vehicle for the attainment of bilingual skills. Although teaching French as a subject has been included in the curriculum of many English-Canadian schools, it has provided disappointing results for those whose goal was bilingualism.' Consequently, mainly at the initiative of parents, programs of bilingual education for Anglophones have been started in many communities across Canada. One of these programs, referred to as an early French immersion program, begins at the kindergarten level (age 5). The pupils entering