The Second Language Components in a Two-Way Bilingual Education Program

Abstract

Abstract With the advent of an increasingly linguistic minority student population in the public schools, program development to maximize these students' learning opportunities is essential. One such program appears to be the Two-Way Bilingual Education model that integrates students from two distinct language backgrounds. Since 1989, one school district in Massachusetts has been offering a Two-Way Bilingual Education program to students from its Spanish and English speaking communities. This article provides a critical description of that program using a fourth grade example. Following the district wide curriculum, and recognizing the necessity of bridging linguistic and cultural differences, this two-way model allows students to develop proficiency in a second language and culture while achieving the objectives of the elementary school curriculum. The need for practical information on existing two-way bilingual education program models is borne out of a resistance by many to recognize bilingual programs as vital aspects of the schooling of language minority students.