UNIT 2

APPROACHES TO BILINGUAL
AND MULTILINGUAL
EDUCATION
THE 1987 POLICY ON BILINGUAL EDUCATION

The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy shall be:

• Enhanced learning through two languages to achieve
quality education as called for by the 1987
Constitution;

2. the propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy;

 3. the development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of
national unity and identity;

4. the cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of

scholarly discourse that is to say, its continuing
intellectualization; and

5. the maintenance of English as an international language for

the Philippines and as a non-exclusive language of science and
technology.
Filipino and English shall be taught as language subjects at
all levels to achieve the goals of bilingual competence.

Filipino and English shall be taught as language subjects at

all levels to achieve the goals of bilingual competence.
 Since competence in the use of both Filipino and
English is one of the goals of the Bilingual Education
Policy, continuing improvement in the teaching of both
languages, their use as media of instruction and the
specification shall be the responsibility of the whole
educational system.
 Gauthier (2012) discussed two types of bilingualism,
namely:
(a) sequential bilingualism, which happens when a child only
learns one languageat birth then learn another later on;

(b) simultaneous bilingualism, which happens when the child

acquires two distinct languages at the same time due to being
exposed to these languages, possibly with parents or
caretakers using two languages.
 Goals of Bilingual Education
(a) academicEnglish skills development and academic
success;
(b) development of the home language or the native tongue.

This means that, unlike English-only programs, Bilingual

Education aims to develop English language fluency and literacy
and develop and maintain students' oral fluency and literacy in
their home language.
 Distinction Between Bilingualism and Bilingual Education

Bilingualism is a common phenomenon. As early as three years old, children

may become bilingual. This could occur in two different models. The first is
when the child learns two different languages simultaneously, which results in
simultaneous bilingualism. When the child develops proficiency in the first
language before developing skills in another language, it is known as
sequential bilingualism. Bilingualism is complex as it exists in a person in
different levels of proficiency. A bilingual may have only had minimum
proficiency in both languages, or he or she may have mastery of both.
 On the other hand, the term bilingual education is the term
we use to refer to that approach in education where two
different languages are utilized in classroom instruction. Its
aim is to strengthen the students’ mastery of language. It has
a long history which you have already explored in the
previous unit.
 Effects of Bilingualism to a Child

●Ability to comprehend their conversation partner’s

communication needs;
●Mental flexibility (divergent thinking and general reasoning
skills);
●Non-verbal problem-solving skills;
●Verbal and linguistic skills;and
●socio-cognitive development.
 Multilingualism

Multilingualism is the ability to communicate using more

than two different languages.

Three factors considered to contribute to the current

prominence of multilingualism
1.The spread of modern technologies
2.globalization
3. migration, and immigration.
 Types of Bilingualism, Multilingualism and Bilingual
Education

Bilingual Education may be defined differently in different

contexts. In this context, Bilingual Education is the umbrella
term used to describe a variety of language programs that
integrate English learners and native English-speaking learners
in academic instruction. Both English and home language are
used as academic contentand mediums of instruction.
Transitional Bilingual Education(TBE) is an approachto education
where learners are first taught with their home languagebefore
transitioning to English-only instruction.

TBE is classified as either an early or late-exit program.It is

regarded as an early exit program if a bilingual approach (teaching
in both home language and English) is used in instruction for the
first two years or less of children's education before transitioning to
using English-only instruction.
Still, they receive the majority of their lessons in English. On
the contrary, the late-exit program is where the learners
receive instruction in two languages for longer or all their
elementary education.

This is to focus on helpingthem to master their first language so

that they could use this as an instrument to learn and master the
next language, English, and improve academic achievement
Two-Way Immersion (TWI) is bilingual education where two
groups of learners who are native speakers of two distinct
languages are placed together in a classroom where both
these languages are used.

This type of program aims for a high level of biliteracy

amongthe learners, improved academic achievement, and
cross-cultural awareness.
 To achieve this, learners begin two-way immersion in
kindergarten or first grade and proceed with the approach
throughout their elementary school careers. Here, the
teachers must be bilingual and bi-literate
Programs and Structures of Bilingual and Multilingual
Education

● Subtractive bilingual education

The program is subtractive if its focusis the

learners’ mastery of the targetdominant languages
like English.
It gives little to no attention to honing their skills in
their home language, thus promoting
monolingualism in school
In this approach, learners are forced to abandon the notion of
improving their skills in their first language and are instead
required to put all their attention to mastering the new
language.

Examples of subtractive bilingual education are submersion

and transitional bilingual education.
 In submersion programs, bilingual students generally
receive all of their instruction in their L2. Such programs
are often referred to as sink-or-swim programs because
there is little support for the students' L1.
Transitional bilingual education is an approach to bilingual
education where the children first acquires fluency in their
native language before acquiring fluency in the second
language, where fluency is defined as linguistic fluency
(such as speaking) as well as literacy (such as reading and
writing).
 ● Additive bilingual education
Additive bilingual education does not support the one-
language only policy in schools which promote
monolingualism.

This approach helps students to become 'balanced

bilinguals' who have equal proficiency both languages of
instruction.
In this program, two groups of learners are integrated despite
having different levels of proficiency in two languages.

These students are generally catered to simultaneously using

both languages. This means that while the school aims to
improve the learners' proficiency in the second language,
their first language is not abandoned, but is improved and
maintained alongside the new language.
 Examples of additive bilingual education are immersion
programs and dual-language bilingual programs.

Language immersion, or simply immersion, is a technique

used in bilingual language education in which two languages
are used for instruction in a variety of topics, including math,
science, or social studies.
Examples of additive bilingual education are immersion
programs and dual-language bilingual programs.

Dual language is a form of bilingual education in which

students are taught literacy and content in two languages.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Mother tongue-based instruction

The children's first language (L1) is used to deliver the
learning program entirely. For it to be possible, the
learners and teacher must share the same language
background and the teacher is a bilingual who has respect
for the learners’ heritage language and culture.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Bilingual education or two-way bilingual education

Non-native English speakers who share the same first language receive instruction
in both literacy and academic content delivered in two languages, their home, and
English. In Two-Way Bilingual Education, the class is a combination of non-
native English speakers and native English speakers who receive instruction from
a bilingual teacher in both languages. Its threefold functions are transition from
first language to second language environment, developing fluency in the second
language, and maintenance of the the learners’ heritage language
and culture .
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Mother tongue-based bilingual education or the developmental

bilingualism
Instruction begins in mother tongue or home language, and then the next language
is gradually introduced using their knowledge of the home language as a scaffold
for learning the new one.

the teacher starts from where the learners are and on what they already know.
They use it to have a strong training in acquiring linguistic skills in the next
language.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Multilingual education

Education starts being delivered in the mother tongue before it

transitions to introducing additional languages. Its aims are
multilingualism and multiliteracy.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Transitional bi/multilingual education (also called 'bridging'

and ‘early exit’)
It is a rapid shift from using one language onto English to develop
English literacy abilities as soon as possible
Here the focus is for learners to master the second language which
results to them either lose their mother tongue while acquiring the
second language or fail to fully develop their mother tongue literacy. It
is an ‘early exit’ program which includes a sudden shift to L2 after just
2 or 3 years in school.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Maintenance bi/multilingual education (late exit or

developmental bilingual program)
All target languages become the mediums of instruction after L2,
and L3 has been introduced.
L1 instruction often continues as a topic of study to provide
ongoing support for the child's L1.
This is often also called 'additive bilingual education' because
even if the next language/s are introduced, L1 is not displaced or
abandoned.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Immersion or foreign language instruction

It is a language education approach where the students are given
instruction in all academic subjects in the target language like
English.

Their teachers are native speakers of the target language and are
fluent in the students’ native language.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Immersion or foreign language instruction

There are three types of immersion approach, namely:

a) total immersion, in which the learners are exposed only to the

target language the entire time that they are in school

b) partial immersion, in which the learnersare taught in the target

language half the time while in their native language on the other
half.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Immersion or foreign language instruction

There are three types of immersion approach, namely:

c) two-way immersion, in which learners of different language

backgrounds are combined in a classroom and are taught in both
their native and target language
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Submersion (a.k.a.Sink or Swim)

A widely criticized approach, nicknamed ‘sink or swim’,
explained submersion as an approach where students who are not
native speakersof the target dominant language receive education
in that language.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Submersion (a.k.a.Sink or Swim)

They are forced to learn the target language, with little to no
support from their teachers if they wish to catch up with the
lessons and communicate with their teachers and peers. In this
approach, the dominant language is learned at the expenseof L1,
promoting subtractive bilingualism.
 Types of Bilingual Education Program Models/Approaches

Submersion (a.k.a.Sink or Swim)

They are forced to learn the target language, with little to no
support from their teachers if they wish to catch up with the
lessons and communicate with their teachers and peers. In this
approach, the dominant language is learned at the expenseof L1,
promoting subtractive bilingualism.
 Frameworks of Bilingual and Multilingual Education

Content-based framework
It frames bilingual and multilingual education in terms of its
language use. It looks into the program by evaluating its
language use in terms of its strong form (i.e., the languages
are used systematically for academic purposes) or weak form
(i.e., the first language is used only in moderation like for
clarifying) dichotomy.
 Frameworks of Bilingual and Multilingual Education

Language-based framework
This refers to evaluating bilingual and multilingual education
by looking at the languages of instruction as the vehicles for
intercultural communication and content learning,
emphasizing on the acquisition of academic content.
 Frameworks of Bilingual and Multilingual Education

Context-based-framework
It frames bilingual and multilingual education in terms of the
context in which it is designed, implemented, and evaluated,
namely: (a) macro-level (i.e., national level); and (b) micro-
level (i.e., local level).
 Integrating the Framework

1. Language as a problem

Language is viewed as a cause of conflict and stereotypes among

bilinguals. Some have negative perceptions of bilinguals and
multilinguals as having mental inferiority, split identity, emotional
vulnerability, language anxiety, low self-esteem, alienation, and
cultural dislocation.
 Integrating the Framework

2. Language as a right

Language can be a personal, human, or constitutional/legal right.

Language as a right protects individuals or groups against all
forms of discrimination on the merit of their chosen language/s
and the use of that language to safeguard individual or group
identity.
 Integrating the Framework

3. Language as a resource

Language as a resource views language as a means to establish a

multicultural society capable of building links for economic
prosperity and social harmony among diverse communities,
eliminating the pressures brought about by a deliberate discussion
of language as a problem and as a right.