The fiftyfication of dual language education: one-size-fits-all language allocation’s “equality” and “practicality” eclipsing a history of equity

Freire, Juan A.; Delavan, M. Garrett

doi:10.1007/s10993-021-09579-z

Cited by 11 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…A preference for English was reported by some teachers and observed among students during unstructured times, suggesting that English is the dominant language even in this TWI setting (Uzzell & Ayscue, 2021). This outcome could be attributable to the 50/50 language distribution (Freire & Delavan, 2021) and could be addressed by replacing the binary approach with a bilingual program that is more sensitive to the needs of emergent bilingual students (Hamman-Ortiz, 2019). Such a program could still foster integration and may be even more culturally sustaining because it would accept forms of language, such as Black English, that have been less accepted in the TWI context.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although incorporating two languages provides an opportunity for an integrated, bilingual environment, TWI is vulnerable to equity concerns, particularly in the areas of policy, teacher preparation, and curriculum (Cervantes-Soon et al, 2017). The program has been critiqued for continuing to privilege English through policies that support equal distribution of instructional time (50/50), rather than equitable distribution catered to student needs (Freire & Delavan, 2021). Others have suggested that TWI fails to capture the complexities of bilingualism by enforcing a separation of languages and categorizing students as native speakers (Cervantes-Soon et al, 2017; Hamman-Ortiz, 2019).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Teachers and Leaders Facilitate Integration in a Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program

Ayscue

Uzzell

2022

Teachers College Record

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Background/Context: Public school enrollment in the United States is becoming increasingly racially and linguistically diverse; however, school segregation continues to intensify across the nation. Within this context, two-way dual language immersion (TWI) programs, which intentionally strive to balance English learners and English speakers, may create a natural opportunity for integration. Research Question: How do teachers and leaders facilitate integrative interactions among students of different racial and linguistic groups in a TWI program? Research Design: This qualitative, holistic, single case study explores the TWI program at Silverthorne Elementary School (pseudonym), a K-5 traditional public school in the southeastern United States. Silverthorne is in a rural community on the outskirts of a large metropolitan area that is a new immigrant destination. At the time of data collection, Silverthorne’s TWI program was in its seventh year of implementation. Participants include 12 teachers, one guidance counselor, and one school leader. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with all participants, observed eight classrooms, and analyzed supplemental documents. We used inductive coding and ultimately generated four themes to describe how TWI teachers and leaders facilitate integration. Findings: Silverthorne’s TWI program provides an opportunity to facilitate integration among students from different racial and linguistic backgrounds. The nature of these integrative experiences is shaped by the structure of the TWI program, the teachers’ conceptualizations of diversity, the teachers’ pedagogical and curricular decisions, and the school leader’s support of the TWI program. Conclusion: Although teachers and leaders in the Silverthorne TWI program have promoted integration in numerous ways, they also have missed important opportunities to facilitate greater integration. Nonetheless, this TWI program illustrates the potential of TWI to provide opportunities for students from different racial and linguistic backgrounds to learn together in a truly integrated environment. Findings suggest the need for enhanced professional development regarding how to facilitate integration in diverse classrooms as well as future research to understand how, if at all, integration is considered when districts and schools are designing and implementing TWI programs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%