National Conference on Language, Literature and

Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

Bilingualism and Education

Authors:
Mina Mahdikhani
Fatemeh Zahra Pardis, Farhangian University, Isfahan, Iran
E-mail address: mahdikhani_mina@yahoo.com
Fahimeh keshmiri
Fatemeh Zahra Pardis, Farhangian University, Isfahan, Iran
Email address: keshmiri_86@yahoo.com
Soheila Hamzehloo
Fatemeh Zahra Pardis, Farhangian University, Isfahan, Iran
Email address: Soheila.hamzehloo1373@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper tends to study bilingualism and education. Bilingualism is the ability to use two
languages. There are two kinds of bilingualism: simultaneous which means learning two
languages at the same time and sequential which means learning second language after first
language acquisition. Some people worry that bilingualism is bad for a child but there are a lot of
advantages to know more than one language. Knowing a second language benefits child
cognitive development, ties to sense of cultural identity, it encourages cross-cultural awareness
and promotes the ability of social interactions. Evidences indicate that learning a second
language doesnt interfere with the development of a child first language, moreover a bilingual
child may have learning difficulties but this is not a consequence of bilingualism per se. Due to
the growing need for a bilingual education, many different programs as immersion, submersion
and maintenance are provided for teaching which have been discussed separately.
Key words: Bilingualism, Bilingual Education, Simultaneous Bilingualism, Sequential
Bilingualism, Second language.
Introduction
While it is the case that even speakers of a single control various styles and levels of that
language, it is very common that people develop some knowledge and ability in a second
language and so become bilingual. The simplest definition of bilingualism is the ability to use
two languages. Definitions of bilingualism range from a minimal proficiency in two languages,
to an advanced level of proficiency which allows the speaker to function and appear as a native-
like speaker of two languages .The assumption that there must be a single definition leads to
confusion, such as when one person is talking about the highly skilled multiple-dominated
balanced bilingualism of an expert translator and interpreter, and the other the uneven skills of a
recent immigrant. Rather than worrying about definition, it is more useful to consider what is
needed to describe the nature of an individual's bilingualism. Clearly, the first element is to
identify each of the languages. We will often need to clarify which variety is involved: to
distinguish between Egyptian and Moroccan Arabic, or between High German and Swiss
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

German. A second important feature is the way each language was acquired. It is useful to
distinguish between mother tongue learning, second language learning and foreign or additional
learning.
In terms of performance, it is not uncommon for people to speak one language and read
and write another. Many Turkish use their own language in conversation, but read and write in
Persian. Bilinguals usually prefer one language for internal functions such as counting, doing
arithmetic, dreaming, or praying silently. In terms of competence, a bilingual may have very high
levels of proficiency in both languages or may have only limited proficiency in one and be far
more proficient in the other
To be bilingual means different things to different people. The history of research on
bilingual children contains many false inferences about the effects of bilingualism based on a
miscalculation of the complexity of the phenomenon. Similarly, current research to evaluate
bilingual education programs takes an extremely narrow definition of bilingualism, that is, as the
usage of two languages in instruction.
Bilingual language acquisition
There is no evidence to suggest that its any harder for a child to acquire two languages
than it is for the child to acquire one language. As long as people are regularly speaking with the
child in both languages, the child will acquire them both easily. A child doesnt have to be
exceptional or have any special language ability to become bilingual; as long as the child is
exposed to two languages throughout early childhood, he or she will acquire them both.
Some people worry that learning more than one language is bad for a child, but nothing
could be further from the truth. In fact, there are a lot of advantages to know more than one
language. First, many linguists feel that knowing a second language actually benefits a childs
cognitive development. Second, if the child comes from a family that has recently immigrated to
other country, the family may speak a language other than the second language at home and my
still have strong ties to their ethnic roots. In this case, being able to speak the language of the
familys ethnic heritage may be important for the childs sense of cultural identity. To be unable
to speak the familys language could make a child feel like an outsider within his or her own
family; speaking the familys language gives the child a sense of identity and belonging. Third,
in an increasingly global marketplace, its an advantage for anyone to know more than one
language, and finally, for people of any age or profession, knowing a second language
encourages cross-cultural awareness and understanding.
Developing Bilingualism
Language development is a complex, dynamic process influenced by the childs age,
language exposure and social interactions. A bilingual child generally follows one of two
languages acquisition patterns: simultaneous bilingualism, in which the child acquires two
languages at the same time before the age of 3 years, and sequential bilingualism, in which the
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

child acquires a second language by age 3 after having acquired the primary language. Pre-
schoolers may differ qualitatively from school-age children in their ability to develop a second
language. For adults, acquiring a second language is a conscious rather than subconscious
process; more appropriately termed language learning rather than language acquisition.
Simultaneous bilingualism
Not much is known about the process by which a very young child simultaneously learns
two languages. In general, however, these children appear to go through two stages of bilingual
language development. The first stage is an undifferentiated, single-language system
composed of elements from both languages. The same developmental processes that occur in a
monolingual child - single words, increased vocabulary, emergence of two-word combinations,
use of verb tense, and so on - also occur in this undifferentiated stage of simultaneous
bilingualism ; the main difference is that two language are involved. For example, the child may
know an objects name in one language but not the other or use words from both languages in a
single sentence(language mixing), or use word stems of one language with prefixes and suffixes
from another language(language blend).
The second stage occurs when the child begins to differentiate the two language system,
using each one as a separate system for distinct purposes. The child may learn to associate each
language with a specific person (parent vs. babysitter), age group (playmates vs. adults), or
situation (home vs. playground). He then develops the ability to alternate language, using a
specific language to communicate in a specific context. If the family code-switches multiple
times within one conversation, the child will also learn that pattern and recognize that two
different languages are being used.
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

Sequential bilingualism
The process of developing a second language before age 3 is slightly different from the
process of developing a first language. First, a sequentially bilingual child can draw on
knowledge and experience with the first language. Second, whether and for how long a child
passes through several phases in the sequential language acquisition process depends on his
temperament and motivation (table2).A more socially oriented child, for example, may very
quickly learn fixed phrases that help him interact with other children and adults, such as my
turn or all done. A less outgoing child may have a silent phase when he is with people who
speak his second language.
Third, the relative exposure to the second language compared with the first language can affect
how a child develops the second language. If the child hears and uses both languages equally, his
developmental language pattern will more closely resemble patterns in monolingual language
development .This is fairly unusual, and most bilingual children have clear majority and
minority language- the majority language being the one with which he feels most comfortable.
Note, however, that the childs majority language may not always be the first language he is
exposed to: A child from, say, an exclusively Chinese-speaking family who then enters and
beings functioning in an English-speaking society may ultimately use English as his majority
language.

Bilingualism concerns
Evidence indicates that bilingualism does not cause language delay, although language
delays can certainly occur in bilingual children. Differentiating language delay or disorder is
important. A child learning a second language will normally have delays and inaccuracies in
syntax that a monolingual child may not have. These usually result from learning errors
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

derived from common underlying learning strategies - the methods used to teach a child
language - and are not language disorders.
Learning a second language generally does not interfere with the development of childs
first language. Progress in the first language sometimes appears to be slowing down compared
with that of a monolingual child, but this relative delay is usually not significant. There may be
some periods of language mixing, but having a solidly developed language can only help with
mastery of a second language. In addition, developing a second language may actually
strengthen a childs first language, as she will use the base provided by the first language to learn
the second. When first language acquisition stagnates (usually because support for its
maintenance is lacking), the second language is often developed enough to take over. Children,
who have significant delays in acquiring the first language, usually have an underlying disorder
or poor language exposure. These children are unlikely to develop a second language
successfully.
Many people believe that bilingualism is the reason some bilingual children have
difficulty learning to read. Research suggests, however, that learning difficulties occur in
bilingual children just as they do in monolingual children, and that bilingualism is neither a
direct nor indirect cause. A bilingual child may have learning difficulties if he enters school
without a solid base in either language, leaving him unequipped to handle the increasingly higher
order language demands of the classroom. But this is not a consequence of bilingualism per se. A
monolingual child whose language skills are similarly underdeveloped will also experience
difficulty learning.
Bilingual Education
Bilingual education can be defined as an educational program in which two languages are
used to provide instruction. As with the term bilingualism, bilingual education is a simple label
for a complex phenomenon. An important distinction is between those programs that use and
promote two languages and those where bilingual children are present but bilingualism is not
fostered in the curriculum. Skuttnab-Kangas (1984) offers three broad categories that encompass
the range of education programs.
Immersion program: Language immersion, or simply immersion, is a method of teaching a
second language in which the learners second language L2 is the medium of classroom
instruction. Through this method, learners study school subjects, such as math, science, and
social studies, in their L2. The main purpose of this method is to foster bilingualism, in other
words, to develop learners' communicative competence or language proficiency in their L2 in
addition to their first or native language L1. Additional goals are the cognitive advantages to
bilingualism. Immersion programs vary from one country or region to another because of
language conflict, historical antecedents, language policy or public opinion. Moreover,
immersion programs take on different formats based on: class time spent in L2, participation by
native speaking L1 students, learner age, school subjects taught in L2, and even the L2 itself as
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

an additional and separate subject. This program promotes additive bilingualism majority
language speakers. These are highly valued educational programs and the most well-known are
the French immersion programs for English speaking children in Canada. Although teaching is
provided in the second language, her teacher knows and may use both languages.
Submersion program: are programs where linguistic minorities are taught through the medium of
the majority language with minimal or no support to enable learners to understand the language
of instruction or access the curriculum content. Often the minority languages and cultures are not
highly valued by the majority group. In this program Student is placed in an English-speaking
classroom with native English speakers, regardless of the students level of proficiency in
English. The student is expected to learn the content of the material taught in English, even
though he or she may still be learning the language. This is not technically bilingual education,
as the material is presented in only one language, English.
Maintenance programs: provide teaching in the first language in order to maintain use of the
home language and culture .These programs are often allied to transitional bilingual education
programs where the learners gradually move towards full use of the majority language
.Transitional bilingual education programs vary in the amount of first language instruction
provided and the duration of the program. Early exit programs are where pupils move rapidly to
English only instruction, for example, within the first one or two years. Most bilingual programs
have two goals: the acquisition of the language of the country and academic success; and the
continuing development of the heritage language. The maintenance bilingual program is
specifically created to maintain and improve a students native language as the student tries to
learn a second language. In 1997, the National Research Council wrote a report that signifies the
fact that students who are fully developed in their native language are more than likely to
develop proficiently in a second language than those who do not have that benefit. When a
student can understand instruction in their native language, they are able to use those same
abilities to acquire a second language. However, the maintenance program puts more emphasis
on how fluent those children speak in both languages while they are in school. It should also be
evident in how they maintain their academic skills. Maintenance programs enrich and add
stability to how students learn a new language. They are better able to engage and become
participants of instructional work given and not just for exposure to it.
Many bilingual acquisition programs can be defined as a way of using the first language to
accelerate second language acquisition. Debates around bilingualism and bilingual education are
proliferating in the context of globalization and rapid spread of English. For many bilingual
educations is important to maintenance of first language and culture, whilst at the same time
promoting the academic achievement and future success of children. For others bilingual
education has become an issue in socio-political debates about nationalism, integration and
identity.
Conclusion
 National Conference on Language, Literature and
Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

Acquiring two languages is not any harder for a child than acquiring one language, as
long as the child is exposed to two languages during early childhood, he or she will acquire them
both. Someone worry about learning two languages, not only learning more than one language is
not bad for a child but also it has many benefits, as: a childs cognitive development, childs
sense of cultural identity, dealing with increasingly global marketplace and cross-cultural
awareness and understanding.
A bilingual child commonly follows one of two languages acquisition patterns:
simultaneous bilingualism, in which the child acquires two languages at the same time before the
age of 3 years, and sequential bilingualism, in which the child acquires a second language by age
3 after having acquired the primary language.
There are some concerns about bilingualism; Evidence indicates that bilingualism does
not cause language delay, although language delays can certainly occur in bilingual children.
Learning a second language generally does not interfere with the development of childs first
language. Research suggest, however, that learning difficulties occur in bilingual children just as
they do in monolingual children, and that bilingualism is neither a direct nor indirect cause.
Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and
secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program
model. There are three different methods of teaching: Immersion program, in which the learners
second language L2 is the medium of classroom instruction, submersion program, in which
linguistic minorities are taught through the medium of the majority language with minimal, or no
support to enable learners to understand the language of instruction or access the curriculum
content, maintenance program which provides teaching in the first language in order to maintain
use of the home language and culture.

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Translation in Education
Islamic Azad University,Maybod Branch February 19 2015

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