Developmental Bilingual Education in the Real World: Using Longitudinal Data to Enhance Dual Language Program Development

Dual language education, the use of two languages as the medium of instruction for two distinct student populations in the same classroom in order to develop bilingualism for both has become a more accepted instructional model and educational philosophy in the past two decades. Through dual language enrichment, educators are able to offer the benefits of developmental bilingualism to a wider range of students while, at the same time, enhance their academic achievement and sociocultural integration. As an educational program, dual language also has the potential of reversing the often controversial and negative status of bilingual education in this country, which to date, has been mostly transitional in nature with few sustained effects. As dual language programs in the United States are developed, implemented and improved upon, there is a growing need to conduct studies to understand the affect of dual language education on students ’ language development, academic achievement and social integration. Most importantly, these studies will contribute to the growing body of research that seeks to create a solid conceptual foundation for the design of effective language education programs. This post hoc study examines the maturational development of a dual language education program as it naturally unfolds in a Kindergarten through eighth grade school district of 15,000 students locate