Comments on: Lack of Support in Bilingual Education Programs http://multilingualmania.com/2009/10/24/lack-of-support-in-bilingual-education-programs/ Blogging the State of Multilingual Education in the New Millennium Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:40:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Critical Components of Effective Bilingual Programs « Multilingual Mania http://multilingualmania.com/2009/10/24/lack-of-support-in-bilingual-education-programs/#comment-176 Critical Components of Effective Bilingual Programs « Multilingual Mania Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:46:42 +0000 http://multilingualmania.com/?p=363#comment-176 [...] Lack of Support in Bilingual Education Programs [...] [...] Lack of Support in Bilingual Education Programs [...]

]]> By: We Better Know What We’re Doing in Bilingual Education Programs!! « Multilingual Mania http://multilingualmania.com/2009/10/24/lack-of-support-in-bilingual-education-programs/#comment-164 We Better Know What We’re Doing in Bilingual Education Programs!! « Multilingual Mania Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:11:07 +0000 http://multilingualmania.com/?p=363#comment-164 [...] Lack of Support in Bilingual Education Programs [...] [...] Lack of Support in Bilingual Education Programs [...]

]]> By: multilingualmania http://multilingualmania.com/2009/10/24/lack-of-support-in-bilingual-education-programs/#comment-159 multilingualmania Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:42:06 +0000 http://multilingualmania.com/?p=363#comment-159 You are absolutely correct! Program models should not be changed just because of the lack of teachers. It's been my experience that many times it's not even an issue of the lack of bilingual teachers, but it was actually lack of planning by administration before time to locate teachers. I have known of programs in areas where there are tons of bilingual teachers, but the administration at the school actually started the program without thinking about personnel-the program gets to a certain level and there aren't any extra spaces available to hire bilingual teachers, and the administrators don't want to get rid of an English teacher in order to make space for a bilingual teacher. Thank you for your comment! You are absolutely correct! Program models should not be changed just because of the lack of teachers. It’s been my experience that many times it’s not even an issue of the lack of bilingual teachers, but it was actually lack of planning by administration before time to locate teachers. I have known of programs in areas where there are tons of bilingual teachers, but the administration at the school actually started the program without thinking about personnel-the program gets to a certain level and there aren’t any extra spaces available to hire bilingual teachers, and the administrators don’t want to get rid of an English teacher in order to make space for a bilingual teacher.

Thank you for your comment!

]]> By: Sara Delgado http://multilingualmania.com/2009/10/24/lack-of-support-in-bilingual-education-programs/#comment-158 Sara Delgado Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:32:16 +0000 http://multilingualmania.com/?p=363#comment-158 As a bilingual educator, one downfall I have found with bilingual programs, is that oftentimes the program model changes because of the lack of qualified teachers. Rather than search high and low for qualified, experienced educators that can implement the model at hand, the administrators simply adjust the model and mold it to the teachers that are available at the time. For example, an 80/20 two way immersion model might become a 50/50 model from one year to the next due to staffing issues. In this instance, if there are not multiple bilingual teachers available for one grade level, the students will simply work with two teachers, one monolingual English teacher and one monolingual target language teacher (or bilinugal teacher, depending on the model.) But, when more than one qualified bilingual teacher is located, the model returns to 80/20. These type of inconsistencies are not apppropriate for the students or for the stability of the program. As a bilingual educator, one downfall I have found with bilingual programs, is that oftentimes the program model changes because of the lack of qualified teachers. Rather than search high and low for qualified, experienced educators that can implement the model at hand, the administrators simply adjust the model and mold it to the teachers that are available at the time. For example, an 80/20 two way immersion model might become a 50/50 model from one year to the next due to staffing issues. In this instance, if there are not multiple bilingual teachers available for one grade level, the students will simply work with two teachers, one monolingual English teacher and one monolingual target language teacher (or bilinugal teacher, depending on the model.) But, when more than one qualified bilingual teacher is located, the model returns to 80/20. These type of inconsistencies are not apppropriate for the students or for the stability of the program.

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