Actual Grade_________ Potential Grade__________ Final Grade_________

GROUP REVIEW FOR BME 530: Foundations of Bilingual

Education/ESL Instruction
40 points
Nancy T. Blitz
(2 points / question)
Fall 2014
There are 21 questions. Choose 20 questions to answer. You will not
receive additional credit for answering more than 20.
This is not the way that I normally use the Group Review in my classes.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to return this document to you for the
reprocessing step, which is a wonderful learning tool in Mastery Learning.
However, you may want to consider using this 2-step assessment/Mastery
Learning process in some of your own classes.
It has been my pleasure working with you these past few weeks. You are all
WONDERFUL students and I am sure equally wonderful teachers! Enjoy your
semester break.
Nancy
Signatures of Group
Wendy Adams
Cristina Delgado

Dissenting Opinion
Test Item

Initials

Alternative Viewpoint

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

1. Trace the history of Bilingual Education in the U.S. from its earliest period to
the present explaining the significance of the varying eras. It is NOT
important for you to include a long list of dates although it is appropriate to
include approximate dates for each of the eras.
Bilingual education has gone through four major period throughout history. The
permissive period was the 18th and 19th centuries. During this time linguistic
diversity was accepted and encouraged. The restrictive period (1990-1950)
began the push for English literacy for all. The restrictive period came as a result
of WWII. During this time not speaking English was seen as unpatriotic. During
the period opportunity, ushered in by the space race saw a return of appreciation
for the return of culturalism. Bilingual programs began to appear in the United
States. In the 1908s, the English only movement began, and with it began the
dismissive period. During this period, immersion was removed and English Only
in the classroom began. Public schools today continue to promote English only
instruction, but the public is beginning to demand more public bilingual education,
options as they start to see the value of bilingualism. The issue we come across
now is not having enough funds to run bilingual programs.
2. Without checking a dictionary or textbook, discuss the definition of Bilingual
Education and write a definition that reflects the areas discussed by your
group.
Bilingual education is being taught grade appropriate content in two languages.
Students learn to read, write, listen and think in both languages in a cultural
environment.
3. Explain the role that ESL plays in bilingual programs.
ESL educations role in bilingual programs is to teach English to students whose native
language is not English. ESL instruction is provided in a few different ways by using EL
teaching strategies like providing visuals, repetition and sentence frames.

4. Describe a Dual Language or Two Way Program model. In what way(s) does
it differ from a transitional or maintenance model?
A dual language model is academics taught mainly in L2. This model differs from
the transitional or maintenance model because the focus is in L1 and then
quickly transitions into L2, as oppose to the dual language model that focus on
L2 and takes up to five years to transition back into L1.
5. What was the Coral Way Bilingual Experience? Why is it significant in the
history of Bilingual Education in the United States?
The Coral Way Bilingual Experience began with wealthy Cuban refugees in
Florida who wanted their children educated in two languages (English and

Spanish). This was significant, because it was one of the first bilingual programs
in the country and opened the door to establish more bilingual programs
throughout the country. This program was very successful and continue to be a
great example of an effective bilingual program.
6. Compare a submersion classroom with an immersion classroom.
A submersion classroom is an English only classroom aimed at monolingualism
and assimulation. In an immersion classroom, there is a use of two languages
aiming towards bilingualism and bicultural understanding.
7. Why has immersion been more a successful Bilingual Education model for
Canadian students than for Mexican students in the U.S.?
The Canadian parents show school involvement and support because they
choose to have their children enrolled in a bilingual program. Canadians see
bilingualism as something positive for their children to have and feel that it opens
doors for their future. Recent immigrant Mexican families dont always have the
choice. Socioeconomics also has a great influence on how Mexican families view
bilingual education. A lot of the Mexican families that cross the border to live the
American Dream want their children to be successful in the English language
and feel that their children wont be as successful if they are taught in both
English and Spanish.
8. Address metalinguistic awareness, sociolinguistic sensitivity, and divergent
thinking as they relate to bilingualism.
Metalinguistic awareness is being able to analyze your knowledge while
controlling linguistic processing. Divergent thinking is a thought process or
method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It
is often used in conjunction with convergent thinking, which follows a particular
set of logical steps to arrive at one solution, which in some cases is a "correct"
solution. Sociolinguistic sensitivity is knowing which vernacular to use and when.
These relate to bilingualism because they provide the opportunity to analyze and
understand language structure.
9. Based on Collier and Thomas research results comparing different second
language development programs, give an explanation of why students in Two
Way/Dual Language and Late Exit Programs would tend to be the most
successful on standardized tests. Take into consideration CALP development
in your answer.
The research of Collier and Thomas demonstrated that dual language had the
ability to close students academic gap when being educated in other programs,

because other programs exit students early and dont have the amount of time
necessary for students to fully develop cognitively in both their native and
English language. Students who are in a dual language program demonstrate an
increase on standardized tests, because they have the proper language and
cognitive development skills (CALP-Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency),
to be successful in academic content.
10. What explanation would you offer a 7th grade English teacher who cant
understand why Jos speaks English very well in her class but is not doing
well on his reading comprehension tests?
Conversational English is at a lower cognitive level (BICS), than the academic
language needed to do well on reading comprehension tests (CALP). I would
explain to the teacher that Jose has developed and maybe mastered his basic
interpersonal communication skills (BICS) but has not yet fully developed his
cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). I would recommend focusing
on Tier 2 and Tier 3 words to help Jose be more successful.

11. In her presentation on Saturday at NAU Yumas CREST Grant STEM

Conference, Dr. Lily Wong Fillmore presented NEAP Reading and Math
scores at the 4th grade level and then at the 8th grade level (see the charts
from her presentation attached to this review). Based on the theories we
looked at in class, give an explanation as to why there would be a drop in
NEAP test scores at the 8th grade in reading? In math?
The math skills dropped in 8th grade, because students go from simple texts in 4 th
grade to complex texts in 8th grade but dont necessarily have the academic
vocabulary mastered. While they may have the numeracy skills needed to
complete the math problems, they struggle to read and comprehend the
instructions and word problems. The theory of Common Underlying Proficiency
demonstrates how students lack of enough vocabulary and language skills in
either language would hinder their growth in English as demonstrated though
reading or math standardized tests.
12. Identify three main points made by Lily Wong Fillmore in her keynote
presentation at NAUs CREST Grant STEM Conference on November 15 th
that resonated with the members of your group. Explain what she meant and
what the significance is to your particular teaching situations.
Dr. Wong Fillmore said that our country is lacking parental involvement in
education. Parent need to be more involved in their childrens education and
work with their childs teachers as a team to help their children become
successful. She also said we need to stop protecting our students by only
giving them simplified text to save them from difficulty and failure. We need to
help them dissect them and understand them and show them that they are
capable of hard things. We need to focus more on the change in text

structures between 3rd and 4th grades and use intensive interventions for
students that struggle. Without this early intervention, the gap only widens
and they age and becomes harder and harder to bridge.

13. Based on Cummins Common Underlying Proficiency Model theory,

explain why it might or might not be easier to teach a newly immigrated 5 th
grade Mexican student to speak and read English as opposed to a
monolingual Spanish-speaking Kindergartner who arrives in the same local
school.
Although Kindergarteners have the ability to acquire knowledge easier and
quicker since a childs brain connection activity is strongest before the age of
eight, the fifth grader with a solid academic foundation from school in Mexico
could have developed deep cognitive skills. If the student comes to school
across the border with a strong foundation of L1 and academics, Common
Underlying Proficiency theory (CUPS), demonstrates how this student can
more easily transfer his prior knowledge from L1 to English.
14. Using Cummins Thresholds Theory, explain to a fellow teacher the
possible reason(s) that her 6th grade student whose family travels between
Yuma and Salinas twice a year has reading and writing skills way below
grade level. This colleague has no knowledge of the theory so be sure to
give her a thorough explanation.
Based on the assumption that this migrant student has always been migrant
throughout their educational career, we are lead to believe that the academic
development of her first language has not been thorough. This deficit in L1
make acquisition in L2 more difficult as she travels up the ladder of Cummins
Thresholds Theory of L2. The frequent interruptions to her education
combined with low level language skills in both languages makes growth
difficult.

15. What implications does the Thresholds Theory have for a school
considering whether to maintain ESL instruction in their programming for
PEP students or to change to a program reflecting one of the Bilingual
Education models?
It is important to understand threshold theory to ensure all ELLs are given the
same opportunity of learning academic content. The three-tier model helps depict
the three floors of cognition and the two side ladders of the house simulate the
success of the both languages for ELLs. If students do not pass a level and are

not put in a bilingual program, they will struggle academically throughout their
education.

16. Compare Cocopah and Spanish as regards language

maintenance/language loss. Take into consideration at least three factors
that encourage language maintenance in your comparison. Include in
your answer a prediction about which language will flourish in the future
and which will have challenges being maintained and explain your
reasoning for your prediction.
Unlike the Spanish language, the Cocopahs language is decreasing rapidly due
to the fact that their language is not being passed on to new generations and its
a non-written language. Being a language that is not written gives the Cocopah
language a disadvantage, because it cannot be passed down through
documented history using books. The Cocopah language does not permit nonCocopah people to learn their native, making it difficult for this language to be
maintained or flourish in the future. The Spanish language is the native language
for many countries throughout the world and anyone has the opportunity to learn
this language, giving this language the opportunity to flourish in the future.

17. When a language is lost in a family or in a language community is it

murdered, or does it commit suicide?
When a language is lost in a family or language community, it is considered to be
murdered, because the language is not being passed on to their next
generations. Like the Cocopah language, some cultures only permit their
ethnicity/ tribe to use their native language and not enough members are using
the language in order for the language to survive.
18. Compare the medical view of deafness to the bilingual view.

When looking at deafness through a medical view, it is seen as a disability,

making it handicapped and abnormal and its expected for the Deaf to learn the
spoken language being used in their community. The bilingual view of deafness
considers the Deaf just another cultural community with its own language (ASL)
and nuances. ALS is a language and not a crutch to help a disabled person.

19. Present an argument either in support of or against this statement: It can

be said that the deaf have their own culture.
The Deaf are considered to have their own culture, because they have their own
language in which they communicate within the Deaf community. Like any other
culture, the Deaf have their own form of communication, mannerisms that tend to
be different depending on where they are located through the world.
20. Of the three approaches to deaf education, choose the one which your
group feels to be the most effective. Defend your choice by including its
strengths as opposed to your perceived weaknesses of the other two
approaches.
As with any other EL student, bilingual education would be the most effective
education program for the Deaf. Bilingual education values the culture and
language students come from and would give students the ability to be proficient
in their L1 and while teaching them L2. The other two approaches would not
strengthen a deaf students first language and thus make it difficult to learn a
second language.
21. What parallels can be drawn between hearing impaired students and PEP
students?
Potential English Proficient (PEP) students can be paralleled with hearing
impaired students, because both students are learning a second language.
Hearing impaired students first language is ASL and PEP students have
another first language when learning the English language. They both face
an uphill battle in L2 acquisition unless their first language is strengthened as
they learn L2. Their exists cultural insensitivity for both the PEP and the Deaf
as they learn a new language and traverse the English speaking, hearing
world. They have much more in common than not.