Practice Essay

The number of immigrants and citizens who do not speak American English in the United States is growing. This is causing bilingualism in American education to become an issue. The language barrier in schools is raising the question of whether or not American school systems should embrace the bilingual education model
The debate of bilingual education includes not only other languages, but also dialects other then standard american english. In her article "Mother Tounge", Amy Tan writes about her mothers broken english that she grew up around. Tan states, "I believe that it affected my results on achievement tests, IQ tests, and the SAT." (807) Tan spoke English, but she believes speaking a different dialect limited her possibilities in school. Another form of english that supporters want included is Ebonics. Ebonics is an informal dialect widely spoken by african americans. In 1997, the Oakland School Board approved a resolution that made ebonics the primary language for african americans. The schools wanted to teach standard american english through ebonics to students who spoke ebonics. Critics called this "ridiculous, ludacris" and "a terrible mistake". Jesse Jackson called this an "unacceptable surrender".
Ariel Dorfman has experience two methods of teaching. The immersion method used today, which is one year of intensive english and then the student is put in normal classes. Dorfman also experienced bilingual education which teaches subjects like math and science in the student native language and gradually introduces English. Dorfman believes bilingual education is much better learning experience Dorfman states, "children are better off, and less scarred, by holding on to their firs languages as they learn a second one."
Many Americans do not understand the need for bilingual education. The rest of the world is turning english into a widely known language. Ariel Dorfman writes, "Isn't it easier, most Americans would say, to have others speak to us in our words and with our grammar?"(798) As for using ebonics in schools, the reaction of most people in the united states is negative. Many people call it lazy english and say it should not be used in schools.