Bilingual Education
The Osgood File
CHARLES OSGOOD reporting: The word bilingual means two languages. It was with the understanding that school kids would learn two languages that bilingual education was introduced into schools. But what it came down to, in fact, is that Spanish-speaking kids would be taught in Spanish and not have to learn English, and as a consequence, bilingual education is being replaced in many states and school districts across the country with what are called immersion English programs in which the Spanish-speaking kids have no choice but to learn English. It is still controversial. Unidentified Man: There has not yet been developed a program that outperforms bilingual education, and so we just don't think that we ought to get rid of it. OSGOOD: But there's a growing body of evidence that English immersion works. Stand by. (Announcements) OSGOOD: In Arizona, bilingual education has meant teaching in two languages. English-speaking kids are taught in English and most never learn proper Spanish. A hundred and forty thousand Spanish-speaking kids are taught in Spanish and never learn proper English. But that could come to a screeching halt if an English immersion initiative on the ballot passes, as expected. Ms. MARGARET GARCIA DUGAN: I've always believed that English immersion is the most sound and sensible way to learn a language. OSGOOD: Margaret Garcia Dugan is principal at Glendale Arizona High School near Phoenix. In California, where English only became the law two years ago, reading scores for English learners jumped 9 percentage points, and math went up 14 percentage points. Christian Dominguez began an English immersion class after arriving in Oceanside, California, from Mexico last year. Mr. CHRISTIAN DOMINGUEZ: My friend Jonathan, he said, 'Whoa, you speak a lot of English.' OSGOOD: Ken Noonan, superintendent of the Oceanside School District, was a staunch believer in teaching Hispanic kids in Spanish, bilingual education, as it was called. But he is a convert. Mr. KEN NOONAN: Thirty years commitment to something is hard just to set aside, but I think I was wrong. I have to admit that. OSGOOD: THE OSGOOD FILE. Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio network. |