New research confirms that California's Prop 227 was a mistake
New Research Shows that Prop 227 was a Mistake.
Sent to the Capitol Weekly (Sacramento, CA), April 18, 2010
Two studies have just appeared that show that children in bilingual programs learn about as much English as do children in English-only programs.
One study, headed by Robert Slavin of Johns Hopkins University, compared English learners in five states over five years who had the same program of instruction, except that one group was taught entirely in Spanish in kindergarten, with more English gradually introduced until the program was entirely in English by grade three. The researchers found only very small differences between the groups on English tests given in grades three and four. The second study, done by Christopher Jepsen of the University of Kentucky, looked at children in California: Those who had bilingual education did just as well as similar children who did not on tests of English in grades four and five.
Both studies show that the children in the bilingual programs made the same progress as comparisons in
Sent to the Capitol Weekly (Sacramento, CA), April 18, 2010
Two studies have just appeared that show that children in bilingual programs learn about as much English as do children in English-only programs.
One study, headed by Robert Slavin of Johns Hopkins University, compared English learners in five states over five years who had the same program of instruction, except that one group was taught entirely in Spanish in kindergarten, with more English gradually introduced until the program was entirely in English by grade three. The researchers found only very small differences between the groups on English tests given in grades three and four. The second study, done by Christopher Jepsen of the University of Kentucky, looked at children in California: Those who had bilingual education did just as well as similar children who did not on tests of English in grades four and five.
Both studies show that the children in the bilingual programs made the same progress as comparisons in
