Sociological / Psycholinguistic   Bases of Bilingual Education

Notebook: 

• 02, Work Shows Student's Variable Interest

      Although the article does not directly address bilingual education there are areas of pertinence to the field.

      The article seems to believe that between elementary and high school, parents, teachers and administrators somehow lets students off the hook so to speak. Parents give their kids more freedom and less structure in part due to work obligations and in part because of their own memories of the trials and tribulations of middle school. Teachers and administrators get caught with larger class sizes, increased violence, and no additional help and consequently end up lowering their own standards, appreciating any effort whatsoever instead of demanding excellence.

      Children in this scenario deal with feelings of parental neglect, peer pressure to not do too well in school, and a core curriculum out of touch with their lives (or perhaps teacher who fail to show the links it has with their lives).

      I think the middle school setting breeds a feeling of being in the middle. Already learned how to read… but not ready for the big time (big time sports, big time relationships, big time challenging classes…) of high school. I think they should put 6^th graders back on elementary campuses. Connect 7^th and 8^th grades back with the high schools. The experiment of allowing middle schoolers a place all their own to find out that they are have not been even a qualified success. I say get rid of the middle schools. Maybe that will also get rid of the “middle school teacher” as well. I have only anecdotal evidence that suggests that middle school teachers are the least enthusiastic group in the academic spectrum. This is not to say that some of our finest teachers count themselves in the ranks of MST [middle school teacher].

      If typical students have these concerns about the uninspiring curriculum, then what can we imagine English language learners feel. Former recipients of bilingual education get throw into this holding tank. A tank from which some never emerge, never to go on to high school much less college. 

Course Components:

1. Cognitive Theories Paper   
2. Legal Cases Analytical Paper  
3. Presentation    
4. Notebook   
5. Paper    
6. Professional Development