1. Re-thinking Bilingual Education: From Remedial to Enrichment through One-Way Dual Language Enrichment for All DLLs!
Dr. Leo Gómez, NABE Board Member
TABE 2016
Bilingual Education: ¡Una ola de éxitos!
October 21, 2016

2. Agenda Purpose of Bilingual Education DLE is Additive and Enrichment
One-Way DLE Should Serve ALL DLLs
DLE Enhances Cognition
DLE is Enrichment Learning (DLE is GT practices!)
DLLs Deserve Enrichment and Best Practices!

3. Purpose of Bilingual Education
Learn in native language while developing English
Learn grade-level content (literacy)
Learn knowledge & skills; keep up with English peers
Knowledge & Skills in first language (Spanish) transfer to second language (English)
Types of Language Proficiency
Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) (2-3)
not sufficient for academic content learning in school
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) (5-7)
developed in at least one language to stay on grade level
(Cummins, 1981)
It’s not about language, it’s about content!
Purpose: Bilingual Education is about academics not English
Salient Points:
BE is primarily about learning grade level academic content, skills, and cognitive development and L1 is the most effective means to accomplish this
BICS & CALP develops sequentially. Learner must stay on grade level academically using CALP in L1, while developing BICS & CALP in L2
It takes 5-7 years to develop CALP in L2, same as it did in L1
Due to transference, academic skills learned in L1--ensures they are in L2
It has never been about language, but about academics
Typical Questions:
Q: What about students that start school below grade level?
R: Accelerated content instruction and additional emphasis on language/vocabulary development in early grades is imperative

4. Bilingual Education Models
Additive/Enrichment
Subtractive/Remedial
Dual Language
- Two-Way
- One-Way
Purpose: There are various types of models for bilingual learners, but they are all under the umbrella of Bilingual Education
Salient Points:
Program models are either Subtractive and Remedial or Additive and Enrichment
Subtractive models “subtract” L1 learning at some point in program and are “remedial” because the focus is to “fix” the problem the child brings to schools (no English); as learners begin to fall behind academically, the curriculum is “watered-down.”
Additive Models “add” L2 learning and do not subtract L1 through at least 5th grade and are “enrichment” because learning is in both languages with no less than 50% of L1 instruction; Enrichment focus also positively impacts instruction as learners learn through a challenging, interactive and authentic environment
Subtractive/Remedial Models (listed from bottom up as least effective for Bilingual Learners)):
English as a Second Language (ESL) Pullout: By far the least effective because learners are pulled out of “mainstreamed/sink-or-swim” classrooms for English language development (ESL lessons); Former NABE Executive Director stated that there is so much evidence on the ineffectiveness of ESL Pullout, that its continued use is tantamount to “child abuse”
Content-Based ESL: Learners are placed in a self-contained classroom with ESL certified teacher all day (no pullout)
TBE - Early-Exit: Equally as ineffective as content-based ESL. Learners are “transitioned early” into all English instruction usually with a BE teacher and exited into “mainstream” as early as 2nd or 3rd grade
TBE - Late Exit: More effective as students are “transitioned gradually from L1 to L2” and exited into mainstream about 4th or 5th grade. Typically falls below 50% L1 instruction as early as 3rd or 4th grade.
Additive/Enrichment Models:
Maintenance Bilingual (also referred to as Developmental Bilingual Education): Early attempts to maintain or sustain L1 through 5th grade. Model type not widely accepted by mainstream.
One-Way Dual Language Enrichment (DLE): Enrichment model where majority or ALL students are from same language group learning together
Two-Way DLE: Enrichment model where there is a “balance” of two language groups learning together
Typical Questions:
Q: Does anyone implement Maintenance Bilingual?
R: There may be schools that are essentially using a maintenance bilingual program which is a step up from late exit TBE, but the term is seldom used.
TBE - Late Exit
TBE – Early Exit
Content-Based ESL
ESL Pullout

5. DLE for All DLL Students
Two-Way DLE:
Students from two language groups learn in two languages
One-Way DLE:
Students from same language group learn in two languages (e. g. only native Spanish speakers)
One-Way DLE can easily be adopted as THE Bilingual Program serving Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

6. One-Way DLE for All DLLs
One-Way DLE does NOT require English & Spanish speakers in classroom
In One-Way DLE There is NO ESL block
In One-Way DLE there is NO transition
In One-Way DLE there is NO Exiting
All DLLs can be served District-Wide!
Increased Achievement & Graduation Rates!

7. DLE Enhances Cognition
DLE instruction is supported in Brain Research:
Balanced Bilinguals or Biliterates = Enhanced Cognitive Gains (brain plasticity) in:
Concept Formation; Multi-tasking
Classification Skills
Analogical Reasoning
Visual & Spatial Skills
Recall skills
Creativity
Focus (executive function)
Ellen Bialystok (2010)

8. One-Way DLE is Reform for ALL DLLs
One-Way DLE is the strongest bilingual program!
One-Way DLE is Enriched GT Learning!
Academic learning in two languages (Biliteracy)
Learning On-Grade Level; Academic Rigor
Accelerated Instruction; High Expectations
Cognitive Advantages thru Biliteracy
Heterogeneous grouping; student engagement
Project-Based & Inquiry-Based learning
No more Interventions, but Acceleration!
The intervention IS the enriched instruction
DLE IS Best Practice for All DLLs!!

9. One-Way DLE and Texas GT Services
Heterogeneous instructional grouping using bilingual partners mixed by content and language ability leading to independent learning
Project-based and Inquiry-based learning through Research Centers in partners and groups in all subjects
Academic Rigor; Challenging Interactive and Authentic (CIA); Writing across the curriculum; Reading/Writing Benchmarks
Challenging Activities in partners; No Intervention, but Acceleration!
Instructional and organizational patterns that enable identified students to work together as a group, to work with other students, and to work independently
Independent investigations employed in four (4) foundation curricular areas
A continuum of learning experiences that leads to the development of advanced-level products and performances
Opportunities to accelerate in areas of strength

10. One-Way DLE Success Secret!
Use of child’s native language no less than 50% instruction throughout elementary (PK-5th)
The Use of Best Practices: Challenging, Interactive and Authentic (CIA) Learning (GT practices)

11. Hart & Risley (2003)