Module 7: Discussion: Reading Reflection
The following post is reflective of my opinion on this article:
- Schwinge, D. (2008). Conceptualizing biliteracy within bilingual programs. In J. Cummins and N. H. Hornberger (eds.), Encyclopedia of Language and Education (2nd edition), Vol. 5: Bilingual Education, pp. 51-63.
This week, I was particularly motivated by the article written by Diana Schwinge, Conceptualizing Biliteracy Within Bilingual Programs (2008). I was a circling, underlining, and highlighting fool and the margins of my printout have exclamations and hearts by the things that inspired me the most. Although it wasn’t in the article I just referenced, Nancy Hornberger said in her biographical video that all of her research indicates that biliteracy in the classroom is better than an English-only policy and so I’m left to wonder how and why there are any English-only policies remaining. I mention that because Schwinge’s article substantiates the need for culturally relevant classroom structures, and translating and scaffolding as needed in real-time. The idea I liked the most was the use of “El Maga.” El Maga is a fictional bilingual character that students were encouraged to write daily emails to in English or Spanish, and they were responded to accordingly by bilingual undergraduate students. This is something I feel could be implemented in my setting, even though it is adult education. It would be a great way to incorporate volunteer members of the community as “pen pals” and would add after-hours enrichment for the EB learners.
Another thing I liked about this article is the transparency at the end. Given that only some classroom settings are tailored to Bilingual programs, meaning, only two languages, it may not be perfect or may need further research and modification for classrooms that have multiple nationalities. They say, “The type of study adds to our understanding of biliteracy by acknowledging the complexity of meeting the language and literacy needs of diverse students,” (p. 57). Where I volunteer at Open Doors English, there are roughly 50 different native languages represented by the enrolled learners so a program like this could be complicated. But I still like it – and it’s got my brain spinning around the use of artificial intelligence and/or robotics in the classroom.
Reply Eric Wolford
I think the reason why many schools tend to be English-only is for practicality's sake. While there are some schools that are fortunate enough to have only one foreign language to account for in their student body, for many this is not the case. While it is true that most teachers in bilingual programs are not fully literate in foreign languages themselves, I imagine most districts would like to ensure that staff members are at least partly literate if they attempt to make their instruction bilingual. Likewise, while schools like mine are lucky to have teachers who are knowledgeable in Spanish and Tagalog, they also happen to be full-time staff members who teach Biology and English. With the limited resources that we have as a small school out in the middle of the Aleutian Islands, it makes sense why the school does not take as much time as they could to help fellow staff members understand some Spanish and Tagalog that could perhaps help in making the curriculum a bit more bilingual.
Another thing I liked about this article is the transparency at the end. Given that only some classroom settings are tailored to Bilingual programs, meaning, only two languages, it may not be perfect or may need further research and modification for classrooms that have multiple nationalities. They say, “The type of study adds to our understanding of biliteracy by acknowledging the complexity of meeting the language and literacy needs of diverse students,” (p. 57). Where I volunteer at Open Doors English, there are roughly 50 different native languages represented by the enrolled learners so a program like this could be complicated. But I still like it – and it’s got my brain spinning around the use of artificial intelligence and/or robotics in the classroom.
Reply Eric Wolford
I think the reason why many schools tend to be English-only is for practicality's sake. While there are some schools that are fortunate enough to have only one foreign language to account for in their student body, for many this is not the case. While it is true that most teachers in bilingual programs are not fully literate in foreign languages themselves, I imagine most districts would like to ensure that staff members are at least partly literate if they attempt to make their instruction bilingual. Likewise, while schools like mine are lucky to have teachers who are knowledgeable in Spanish and Tagalog, they also happen to be full-time staff members who teach Biology and English. With the limited resources that we have as a small school out in the middle of the Aleutian Islands, it makes sense why the school does not take as much time as they could to help fellow staff members understand some Spanish and Tagalog that could perhaps help in making the curriculum a bit more bilingual.