Literature Review: Bilingualism in the Curriculum
One trend that concern to english language teachers is how bilingual education is conceived in the curriculum. García (2008), explore some parameters such as processes and structure towards bilingualism in the curriculum as a language policy at the school. The purpose of this paper, is to know about how bilingualism is used and planed in the curriculum in terms of bilingual allocation, bilingual arrangement, bilingual practices and models of bilingual teaching.
In terms of bilingual education, it is necessary to consider that every institution has the right of deciding the time allowed for each language depending on the amount of teachers, material and goals established by the community, since every context is different. Depending of the program’s aim, there is a percentage of the amount of time devoted for each language. In sliding bilingual allocation, the minority language is used 90 percent and the second language in 10 percent, but when the students become proficient the distribution of time vary and the minority language is used for just one subject. Different from immersion bilingual education where the second language is allocated in a 100 percent but there is an equality since home language is still used by relatives and there is a 50:50 relationship.
Regarding developmental and multilingual allocation, through the first one the minority language is mainly used until both languages are equally allocated in the curriculum.In multilingual allocation, learners are exposed in a 90 percent to a tribal language and 10 percent to the regional language, but soon English is introduce and tribal language is reduce. As it was mentioned at the beginning, depending of the expectations of the institution there is a program that is nearly accurate; however, it is important to promote respect and value to both languages.
Concerning bilingual arrangement, there are three types. First, strict separation which are commonly used for additive, immersion, maintenance and two-way programs that take into account four strategies for separating languages. Time determined is the first strategie, in which the school specify the time devoted for each language, for example, by using both languages the same day, use one language one day and the next switch to the other or use one language one week and the other language the following week. In terms of teacher determined, it is possible to have two teachers with different language backgrounds in different rooms. Another alternative is two bilingual teachers in the same classroom using the same language in teaching. The third strategie is place-determined, it refers to setting for each language where the teacher has the possibility to display material around the classroom according to the language to be taught. The last strategy is subject-determined, it means that different subjects could be taught through a different language.
Flexible convergent and flexible multiplicity are other types of bilingual arrangement. The first one, refers to the random use of both languages by the teachers or the use of the dominant language for literacy purposes. By the other hand, flexible multiplicity highlight the importance of hence practices that encourage all-terrain bilingualism in which learners are able to use the language through different communicative obstacles.
Regarding bilingual practices, the one that is more common is translanguaging, since it allows teachers to support students’ learning process, cooperative learning among students and co-construct communication in early stages where learners are still struggling with the language. Finally, there are three models of bilingual teaching. Firstly, convergent which enhance proficiency in the dominant language. Secondly, immersion teaching which means taught two languages independently. Lastly, multiple teaching that allows translanguaging, and linguistic tolerance as the aim.
Connecting the previous information with my current teaching context, I want to reflect upon the fact that there are plenty of possibilities to adjust our curriculum according to the necessities of our learners; nevertheless, the most important thing is to search for alternatives that actually develop in our students skills that allows them to face demanding language tasks and use the language to get access to content from different subjects. It is also relevant to promote a friendly learning environment where the learners are aware of the value of both languages and respect them since both are meaningful. As a preschool teacher from a private institution, I have to follow the suggested curriculum; nonetheless, I try to create lessons that develop in my learners linguistic skills that helps them to get access to the content that it is provided in the second language, because my goal is to prepared them to the challenges they will face through their academic life. Furthermore, I try to display visual aids in both languages for promoting translanguaging and linguistic tolerance. Finally, I try to show in an implicit way that English and Spanish are not use for communication but as a resourcer for learning.
