Bilingual language acquisition & development and how bilingualism is addressed in the American school system

Abstract

In this paper I will define the various types of bilingualism in the specific contexts of Spanish-English bilingualism in the United States. I will discuss the benefits of a bilingual education. I will explore theories of bilingual language acquisition relating to language growth over time and the ability to distinguish speech sounds of languages. I will discuss brain development of a bilingual individual and the role of code switching as a key process in language acquisition. I will emphasize the importance of bilingual education programs such as dual language and immersion schools and how these schools function. I will also discuss the importance of linguistic diversity as it connects to cultural identity. I will discuss the implication of least-biased assessment in the field of speech-language pathology for bilingual students and the topic of standardized testing in multiple languages. Overall, I propose goals to make bilingual education a sustainable model for the future of bilingual language education in the American school system.