BilingualEducation is referred as to the use of two languages, one is the person?snative language and the other is English that is required for instruction andinteraction in the United States. Bilingual programs began over twodecades ago when the first Bilingual Educational Act was passed in 1968. Since,English is consider the ?mother tongue?, schools are expected to teach thenewcomers English and to socialize them to the American way of life. Therefore,bilingual educational programs are designed to assist and help limited Englishproficient students to adjust to life in the United States. However, debates andcontroversies surrounding bilingual education programs have been whether or notthese programs should be excluded from schools.

One of theprograms used in the United States is the maintenance model, wherestudents develop fluency in their native language while they learn English. Thetransitional model which uses students? non-English languages to facilitate themastery of both content area skills and English fluency. The ESOL refers to theEnglish of speakers of other languages. The ESL model is when students learnEnglish as their second language. In addition, the immersion, structuredimmersion and the submersion programs have had a great impact on limitedEnglish proficient students to become proficient in English. Immersion isdescribed as the second language instruction where students have no knowledgeof the language and which is the medium of interaction. In these programsinstruction varies, some can have English instruction the entire day, othershalf a day or even less. The outcome of these programs is that students canlearn faster to function at level in the second language. In submersionnon-English speakers are placed in English speaking classrooms to help themdevelop their skills in English. The outcomes are that students will learnfaster and will pick up the language if they are exposed to the language allday. On the other hand, structured immersion programs are designed to helpstudents become quickly proficient in English. This method is successfulbecause students are provided with English instructions in special Englishdevelopmental languages classes allowing them to become fluent in English. Themodel mainly used in the United States is the transitional model. Throughthis model, students? native language is paired with English instruction untilstudents develop sufficient English to function successfully in regularclassrooms.

Accordingto the 1980 Census, 15% of the total population is language minority people.Research has found that the largest minority group in the United Statesis Spanish- speaking people. Out of those fifteen percent there were 7.9million school-age children who were enrolled in bilingual programs. Since themajority of these students did not know English, they were placed in bilingualprograms to help them learn English. However, the main objective of bilingualprograms was to provide English instruction while using the student's nativelanguage. In most bilingual programs students are transferred to regularclassrooms after three years. Opponents said that these programs do not work;however, bringing bilingual education to debates and controversies. Bydemonstrating points of both groups people could decide whether or not theseprograms work.

Proponentsof bilingual education say that these programs are effective because ?teachingnon-English speakers students in their native language helps them keep up theirstudies while they become proficient in English?. One of the proofs thatbilingual education work was ?the Dominican, Roberto Feliz, who is ananesthesiologist. He came to the United States when he entered hissixth grade where he was placed in regular classes. He was a student who lovedschool but then he got disillusioned in his classes. Since he did notunderstand his teachers Roberto fell out of place and wanted to drop out ofschool. The following year he was placed in a bilingual class where he wastaught both languages Spanish and English. He learned to speak English quicklywhich ena bled him to interact with the rest of the children. He graduated fromjunior high school and was able to enter regular classes in high school. Hissuccess allowed him to enter college and finish a career there. Now Robertosupports bilingual education by saying that they work and citing ?I am theproof?. Proponents feel that the diversity of languages and customs enrich the United Statesculture stew; therefore, they should allow them to flourish. One benefit thatbilingual programs provide is that they raise students? self- esteem. Someparents do not want their children to loose their native language, so theyenroll them in bilingual classes to maintain their language as s learning thesecond language. Although people know the importance of learning English inorder to succeed in school and in society, they also find relevant to keeptheir native language. Educational supporters say that bilingual programs arenecessary to prepare students for an ever-changing multilingual andmulticultural world. In addition, educators support bilingual programs becausethey say that without adequate skills students have little hope of succeedingin the American society. Many students tend to get frustrated and discouraged whenthey do not understand the language and this cause a great range of dropouts.If they do drop out, they do not have any choice but to get a future inunskilled jobs earning low wages. It has been said that bilingual programs aredesigned to keep students in school.

On theother hand, opponents say that using a language other than English in schoolraises the possibility that other languages will be maintain instead ofEnglish. Opponents say that bilingual programs also prevent students fromdeveloping language skills and it slows their academic progress. Instead theyrecommend the introduction of the English curriculum from the beginning becauseit would help the students? comprehension. Others say that non-English speakerslearn better according to their acquisition of their native language and thenthey build upon that base.

One of thereasons why bilingual programs are not totally effective is due to the lack ofparental support. Parents have been skeptic that if their children do not learnEnglish they would not succeed in school. However, this is the reason why theybelieve in the sink or swim method and this is why they want their children tobe totally submerged in the language. In addition, studies have proven thatprograms such as ESL have been very effective to teach English instead of theoverall academic development.

Onedisadvantage bilingual students experience is that they are not provided withthe same treatment as monolingual students. Students are not provided with thesame activities, textbooks, teachers or even an equal curriculum. Anotherdisadvantage stated is that they want to remove ESL programs from schools.Teachers say that this is not a good idea because it would make limited Englishproficient students fall behind in other subjects, which do not requireEnglish. Considering these issues one could decide what is the right solutionfor non-English speakers students.

Therefore,I contend that bilingual programs should remain because they are effective andmy husband is proof of that. My husband came to the United States and was placed in aseventh grade bilingual class. He thanks that the bilingual classes existedbecause he says, ?if not I would definitely have been a dropout.? I believethis would have been true because being an adolescent, having a cultural shockand not understanding a new language are three very common descriptions forpeople to drop out. Actually, he is proud of being in a bilingual class for allthose years and thanks it for his success in college. I do not think is fairfor students to be put a grade behind just because of the lack of the Englishlanguage. I feel that they have the opportunity to learn the adequate skillsfor English without falling behind in other subjects. Bilingual education makesa difference in some students? life who have had disillusions in monolingualclasses.