Bilingual Education and Academic Achievement for LEP Students

Introduction: Bilingual Education and Language Barriers

Research indicates that bilingually educated students are more likely to continue their education past high school, increase their chances of entering professional careers, earn competitive academic achievement scores, develop improved social skills, and demonstrate a stronger interest in school. Government interest, certification procedures, and the selection process for hiring qualified teachers are all critical factors in the success of these programs. This paper discusses the consequences of limited English proficiency on academic achievement, the positive effects of bilingual education, and the possible solutions and implications of relevant programs.

Impact of Limited English Proficiency on Academic Achievement

"Limited English Proficiency students have received overall lower grades and below average test scores on Math and Reading assessments as a result of the language barrier" (Borden, 2001). Achievement test scores have revealed that minority students tested well below Caucasian students. Children of welfare recipients also showed lower test scores.

The comparison of standardized test scores between Black and Hispanic students provides evidence that limited English proficiency is a significant factor in academic achievement. The test scores of Hispanic students were consistently lower than those of Black students throughout their education. "As an end result, the dropout rate for Hispanics at 28.6% was almost double that of Blacks at 12.6%" (Borden, 2001). The language barrier therefore has a measurable impact on academic achievement.

Studies have shown that neglecting to implement effective bilingual education highly affects students' interest in learning, which in turn greatly impairs their academic achievement. The Collier study of 1992 revealed that minority students who received proper bilingual education for a minimum of three years scored much higher on academic achievement tests than monolingual students over time. There are no shortcuts to teaching proper bilingual education. Quick programs that taught limited English proficiency students only at the concrete level — without taking time to preserve their native language — produced many negative effects, including a lack of academic achievement progress.

Preservation of the student's native language is necessary. The purpose of educating students in English proficiency is not to strip them of their identity, but to give them the skills necessary to function at an acceptable standard of living in America. To avoid permanent academic developmental problems, the native language must be maintained alongside the second language. As Crawford (1997) noted, "It is much easier to learn to read by reading in a language we already understand." A student's proficiency in their native language transfers over to English, provided they have received quality education in that language. The student must be able to relate the second language to the native language in order to comprehend new material; otherwise, the knowledge is meaningless. While studies vary on the exact length of time required for a student to preserve their native language while simultaneously learning English at an academic level, they consistently report that it takes a minimum of four years. The effort is well worth the results.

Native Language Preservation and Cultural Identity

When people from other cultures choose America as their adopted country, it is in the immigrant's best interest to maintain their natural and cultural traditions and to continue passing these down to their children. "As children abandon their native language, important links to family and other social standings are weakened or lost" (Crawford, 2001). An education system designed to sustain students' native language while teaching English makes it possible for children to continue practicing their original cultural traditions while also becoming English proficient.

Parental involvement is also a high priority. Incorporating English education for parents can greatly intensify a student's academic achievement development. One way to accomplish this is to encourage minority women to utilize their potential and exercise freedom of choice in pursuing careers. Middle Eastern and Hispanic women, particularly older women, may never have had the opportunity in their home countries to pursue meaningful careers. Such opportunities would greatly enhance the interest of the child — especially female children — in the importance of bilingual education. As parents become more English proficient, they can more effectively support their child's academic achievement, assist with schoolwork, and teach acceptable social behaviors, all of which contribute to the child's interest in learning and help prevent inappropriate educational placement.

"Immigrant children who had not been appropriately educated were wrongly placed in special education programs, confused with having learning disabilities and unjustified language and speech defects" (Crawford, 2001). Several years ago, there were no standard procedures for the placement of LEP students. Placement was left to the teacher's judgment, oral assessment, and achievement test scores alone. Misplacing students was not a violation of state law at the time (Crawford, 1997).

Academic achievement did not improve after students were misplaced in special education programs, because the correct problem was simply not being addressed. Treating children as though they have a mental or learning disability they do not have can be as destructive as a doctor treating a physical illness a patient does not have. Children of sound mind and fully capable of learning were placed in environments alongside students with genuine learning disabilities and were taught as though they shared those disabilities. Once these children became aware that they had been misplaced for years, the entire education system would have lost credibility in their minds, contributing to an increased dropout rate. Placing these children in such programs resulted, in some cases, in dropout behavior, violence, substance abuse, gang involvement, and failure to continue education beyond high school. As a consequence, many went on to low-skilled and low-paying jobs.

Conclusion: Equal Access to Bilingual Education

No one can argue over the value of educating all children at a proficient academic level. America's true identity is the English language, and the entire American educational system is built upon it. American-trained teachers whose primary role is to communicate with students operate within an English-language framework. The communication between teachers and English-proficient students is naturally more effective than with students who have limited English proficiency, because there is a clearer shared understanding.