Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Bilingual Education Programs English Immersion - 1,044 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

The controversial debate over English immersion and bilingual education programs has effects in almost every school system. Advocates of bilingual education believe that it is necessary for children to be instructed in their native tongue and gradually be introduced to English or else they may fall behind in school. Supporters of English immersion say that bilingual education programs hinder the learning process of the English language, thus retarding the learning potential of a child. English immersion supports the sink or swim idea of immersing a limited English proficiency (LEP) child in an almost completely English-speaking environment.

English immersion supporters then rely on the idea that LEP children will swim after being thrown into such a situation, and eventually catch up to the rest of their classmates. Are bilingual education programs a hindrance to learning English? If they are, should programs where children are forced to learn English through almost complete immersion be used in place of bilingual education programs? To answer these questions correctly, a full understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both programs is required. It is important to first understand the techniques and goals of the bilingual education program before deciding if the program is harmful to a students potential to learn English. The creators of bilingual education strongly believe in the idea that teaching technical subjects, such as math and science, in English can be harmful to a childs development in that subject.

The goal of bilingual education is to teach children mathematical and scientific concepts in a childs native language while teaching him or her conversational English on the side. Several noted scholars support this technique and feel that students learning the English language should be taught all academic subjects in their native language for no fewer than five, and preferably seven, years (The Changing Face of Bilingual Education). The knowledge and skills that are acquired after five to seven years of instruction in a student's primary language will transfer to the his or her English speaking ability (Research Agenda for Adult ESL). The same scholars also believe that such academic instruction in the students native language is necessary for students to benefit from typical classrooms (The Changing Face of Bilingual Education). Like most contemporary models of bilingual education, children will gain competency needed to survive in a normal classroom. Supporters of English immersion programs feel that an approach where children spent a great deal of their academic time using English would bring a child closer to proficiency at a more rapid pace than a bilingual education program.

English immersion supporters think that the best way to become comfortable with a language is to use it as much as possible. Supporters say that the only times that a child not proficient in English should be spoken to in his or her native language would be to clarify a point, to help a child to complete a task, or to answer a question (The Changing Face of Bilingual Education). After approximately a year in English immersion programs children should be fluent enough to enter into regular classrooms (Put a Stop to Bilingual Education? Manana). Unlike bilingual education, the creators of English immersion believe that English instruction in an academic class, even a technical one, will benefit a child that is in the process of learning English, because the terms used in technical classes will almost always be new to both proficient and non proficient children. While evaluating both programs it is important to remember that some problems that cannot be solved by immersion or bilingual education.

One such problem is finding the perfect age to start teaching the English language to a person. Some scholars have argued that at an early age it is easier for a child to learn a new language through immersion because the child has not fully developed his or her native language. These same scholars have agreed that for older people who have substantially developed their native language, a bilingual education program would be more beneficial. Both immersion and bilingual education programs argue that their program is the best way to teach any child at any age. In actually, both groups are right and both are wrong.

There has never really been an age set in stone as the best age to start teaching a person English. Most immersion programs stand by the philosophy that You have to cram all the English you can into immigrant kids while they are young and it is still easy for them to learn a language (Bilingual Education Goes Beyond Teaching a Language). It is true, to some extent, that children have an advantage over adults to learn a new language. However, children also have some significant disadvantages. Children's disadvantages compared to adults have to do with their life experiences. The younger the child, the fewer the experiences (Bilingual Education Goes Beyond Teaching a Language).

And experiences mean linguistic experiences in at least one language, which makes it easier to learn another (Bilingual Education Goes Beyond Teaching a Language). The more education a person has, in general, the easier it will be for him or her to learn a new language. To truly understand this situation, consider these hypothetical questions. Assuming the same exposure to the language, who will know more English at the end of the year, the father or one of his kids?

The father may speak with an accent and his spelling may not be perfect, but his ability to say what he wants to say will be far greater because of his higher level of education. Who will know more English six years later? In some ways, the father, insofar as language reflects a sophistication of concepts and life experiences. However, in the end, the children will quite likely surpass their father, assuming they stay in school and become at least as educated than their father. From these examples, it should be clear to see that there are too many factors that vary from person to person to get an accurate estimate for the ideal age to begin English instruction. Not only is there no specific age to start teaching English to LEP students, but there is no proof that native language instruction benefits a students cognitive and academic growth.

The cornerstone of most contemporary...


Free research essays on topics related to: english language, english speaking, native language, bilingual education programs, english immersion

Research essay sample on Bilingual Education Programs English Immersion

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com