SANTILLANA USA - CAL Practitioner Brief

- 2 Pillar Two : A clearly defined language alloca- tion plan supports high academic achievement in both program languages by specifying what con- tent instruction is provided in each of the two pro- gram languages. Careful attention must be paid to ensure that all content areas are taught in each of the languages during the course of the program. Pillar Three : Cross-cultural competence is de- fined as the ability of each person to see the cul- tural differences in others as valuable assets rather than as obstacles to overcome (Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell, 2009). This is often the forgotten pillar in dual language programs, but it is extremely import- ant because students, parents, and teachers must be given the tools to engage in conversations about equity and social justice. A program structure that elevates the partner language and culture and builds in opportunities for culture education for teachers, students, and families is needed to meet this goal. How does the accountability movement impact instruction and assessment in dual language programs? There are a number of accountability challenges for dual language programs. The first is the inap- propriateness for English learners of most English- language assessment measures, which are normed with native English speakers. The second is the dearth of literacy and content assessments available in the partner languages. Lindholm-Leary (2012) notes a third accountability challenge, specific to dual language programs: Because of the extensive use of the partner language in the early grades, stu- dents in these grades typically score below their teacher quality and professional development, and family and community involvement. The brief con- cludes with a list of recommended readings to sup- port program leaders and teachers as they design, implement, and support dual language education programs in their communities. How does the structure of a dual language program support the goals of bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement in both program languages, and cross- cultural competence? There are two basic but highly important decision points in dual language program design: the alloca- tion of instructional time in each program language and the determination of which content areas are to be taught in each program language at each grade level. Figure 1 illustrates commonly adopted ap- proaches to allocating instructional time in the two languages in effective dual language programs. A clearly delineated dual language program structure supports the three pillars of dual language education: bilingualism and biliteracy, high academ- ic achievement in both program languages, and sociocultural competence (Howard et al., in press). Pillar One : To achieve the goal of bilingualism and biliteracy, dual language programs should ex- plicitly plan for and allot sufficient time to the deliv- ery of literacy instruction in both program languag- es. Literacy instruction in the partner language must be based on approaches that are authentic to that language. Furthermore, coordination of literacy in- struction across the two program languages is cru- cial to achievement of a program’s biliteracy goals. Figure 1. Commonly adopted approaches to allocating instructional time in the two languages used in a dual language program. Basic Dual Language Program Model Types* Language K 1 2 3 4 5 50:50 Program Model: Literacy instruction is provided in the two program languages at all grade levels and for the duration of the program. Partner language 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% English 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 90:10 or 80:20 Program Model: Initial literacy instruction is provided in the partner language and continues for the duration of the program. Literacy instruction in English is introduced in Grades 2, 3, or 4 and continues alongside the partner language for the duration of the program. Partner language 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 50% 80% 70% 60% 50% English 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 50% 20% 30% 40% 50% *In addition to the basic models illustrated here, some programs allocate language in kindergarten as 70:30 or 60:40, with a gradual increase in time devoted to instruction in English until achieving a balance of 50:50, typically around Grade 3 or 4.