Flexible grouping practices were important to the success of the program: students had access to Spanish-only, English-only, or bilingual instruction throughout the school day depending on their individual linguistic and academic needs" (de Jong, 2006:3).
This ensured grade-level content learning in most academic subjects, but still allowed for ESL instruction, and social studies content that reinforced their home cultures. Also, bilingual teachers were paired with grade-level standard curriculum teachers to discuss the individual student's different rates of progression and to create an effective, evolving curriculum that supported both ESL and traditional academic instruction. It also gave students support from students experiencing similar struggles as themselves with learning English in a supportive environment combined with exposure to fluent native English speakers later in the day. Non-native speaking children were also paired with same-age learners in class who could give them...
It shows the possibility for a multiplicity of group identifications and identities. While is customary to polarize the
debate of bilingual education in either/or terms, as in a choice between older forms of mechanical identification vs. contemporary organic, or chosen identities that transcend native origin (a la Durkheim), there is a possibility of doing both, without the loss of one form of
identity or the other. Furthermore, the experience of the native speakers of English was enriched as "some of the children even got the chance to learn some Portuguese phrases from their integration partners, which boosted both children's self-esteem" that they could teach others, as well as be taught themselves (de Jong, 2006:7).
Works Cited de Jong, Ester. (2006). "Integrated Bilingual Education: An Alternative Approach."
Bilingual Education Journal. Spring 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2007. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200604/ai_n17186149/pg_1
