Lindenwold To Begin Bilingual Education In Fall

LINDENWOLD—The Lindenwold School District is expected to begin its first bilingual-education program this fall.

In New Jersey, any school with 20 or more non-English-speaking students who speak the same language in a four-year age or grade range must institute a bilingual program.

Of the nearly 1,400 students in Lindenwold schools, about 45 students will be in the district’s English as a Second Language program in the new school year.

Of those ESL students, there will be 22 Spanish- speaking children who speak little or no English in kindergarten through second grade. About 16 of those students are expected to matriculate this fall. These children will be the beneficiaries of the bilingual program.

“It’s exciting because our population has grown significantly in the past two years,” said Valerie Van Etten, an ESL teacher. “We’ve always done a good job in making them feel comfortable.” And the bilingual “program will provide more materials. We’ll be able to better serve the children.”

Unlike ESL, the bilingual program requires that students be taught in their native language as well as English, with the idea being that preserving culture and language is crucial to the success of the student.

“We never want them to have a belief that one culture is better than another,” said Suzanne Neri, supervisor of curriculum and instruction for Lindenwold schools. “We want them to have a lifelong respect for their culture and heritage. Their future could be enriched by being bilingual.”

Under the program, students will participate in the total-immersion ESL program mornings and attend bilingual classes afternoons. Older Spanish-speaking students requiring more assistance also may use the bilingual-education teacher during special hours.

Although teachers, some parents and administrators may applaud the addition of the bilingual program for Spanish-speaking students, the fact remains that the other 23 ESL students entering the fall classes speak about 16 other languages, including Gujarati, Ibo, Arabic and Tagalog. And they will not have access to a bilingual educator to assist in preserving their individual languages.

Neri, however, has said that the district’s award- winning ESL program has tried to address the issues of cultural preservation.

“It is a part of the law that we address culture in ESL classes,” she said. “Our ESL teachers address the native cultures with the children. When they become competent, they make booklets about their cultures,” among other cultural activities, she said.

Nedra Lindsey’s e-mail address is [email protected]



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