Adopting a Dual Language Approach in Education: Stakeholders

ELLs

Benefits of Dual Language Approach

Bilingualism has positive effects on children’s linguistic and educational development.

Develop flexibility in their thinking as a result of processing information through two different languages

Students are able to compare and contrast the ways in which their two languages organize reality.

Students gain a deeper understanding of language and how to use it effectively

Students with a solid foundation in their mother tongue develop stronger literacy abilities in the school language

Bilingual children perform better in school when the school effectively teaches the mother tongue and, where appropriate, develops literacy in that language.

Languages are interdependent from the point of view of children’s development of concepts and thinking skills.

Student's first language provide a foundation for developing proficiency in additional languages

Students first language serves as a basis for emotional development

Students first language provides a vital link with the student’s family and cultural background

When a students first language is affirmed in school, they can more easily feel a sense of belonging. Having that sense of belonging will empower them to fully contribute their unique strengths to the learning environment. This intern will cause all students in the classroom to benefit from varied perspectives.

Parents

Important Considerations

Children’s knowledge and skills transfer across languages from the mother tongue they have learned in the home

when we destroy children’s language and rupture their relationship with parents and grandparents, we are contradicting the very essence of education.

When parents and other caregivers (e.g. grandparents) are able to spend time with their children and tell stories or discuss issues with them in a way that develops their mother tongue vocabulary and concepts, children come to school well-prepared to learn the school language and succeed educationally.

Caregiver involvement plays a vital role in student success at school. By allowing caregivers to participate in the child's learning through valuing the use of first language at home, a sense of belonging can be developed in them. Parents will feel more connected and valued in the school community as a part of their cultural identity is affirmed.

Educators

Be proactive in affirming children’s linguistic identity by allowing students to:

Complete dual-language assignments

Work with same-language partners

Process information in the first language before switching to English

Create multilingual displays or signs

Write first drafts, notes, journal entries, and outlines in L1

The goal of teachers is to prepare students to be productive and contributing members of a democratic society. In an increasing globalized world, students who are able to understand those who they interact with daily will be better able to make participate constructively in society.

Society

Important Considerations

A society that has access to multilingual and multicultural resources is advantaged in its ability to play an important social and economic role in the world stage.

Discouraging children from developing their mother tongues is quite simply unintelligent from the point of view of national self-interest and also represents a violation of the rights of the child

Ontario is already a diverse society and is projected to be even more so in the future. It is to society's benefit to embrace diversity and use it as a powerful resource. Schools can play a major role in tapping into this resource by implementing a Dual Language Approach in the classroom.