Student Outcomes in Dual Language Programs

• In Event: 26.045 - Dual Language Immersion Education: State of the Research and Promising Directions

Abstract

Purpose and Perspectives
The past two decades have witnessed a proliferation of dual language programs in the U.S., whose stated goals are bilingualism, biliteracy, and grade-level achievement. Many educators, policy makers and others have questioned whether a dual language program is appropriate for students of different, especially high-risk, backgrounds. This presentation examines research on the student outcomes of language proficiency and academic achievement. In addition, outcomes for different demographic profiles of student participants in dual language programs from preschool through secondary levels are presented.

Evidence and Results
1. Academic Achievement Outcomes
Considerable research has examined the reading and/or math achievement of students in dual language (DL) programs. This research base consistently demonstrates that students in DL programs achieve at or above the performance of their peers who are not in DL programs. While most of this research looks at reading achievement, there are a few studies that examine math achievement and even fewer that look at achievement in other content areas; these results hold whether we examine outcomes in reading or other content areas. Furthermore, the result that DL students score as well as or higher than their peers in non-DL programs has been reported in Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Korean DL programs.

2. Language Proficiency Outcomes
Research shows that students, both native English speakers and native speakers of the target language (e.g., Spanish, Chinese) in DL programs develop bilingual proficiency in DL programs; that is, they have developed oral and literate proficiencies in both languages that enable them to engage in schoolwork at the appropriate grade level.

3. Outcomes for Different Demographic Groups
Though little research on student outcomes in dual language programs has specifically examined outcomes according to student background characteristics, results are consistent in showing that: 1) Students from different ethnic/racial groups develop oral and literate proficiency in two languages and achieve in English to the same or higher levels as their peers in English mainstream programs at least by the end of elementary school; these results have been obtained in studies with students from Euro-American, Hispanic, African-American, and Asian-American backgrounds; 2) parent education has a highly significant effect on language proficiency and reading achievement assessments conducted in both Spanish and English, and for English and Spanish speakers.

Significance
Research is consistent across numerous studies in a variety of communities and with students from different backgrounds that students in dual language programs achieve at similar or higher levels compared to their peers in English mainstream. These results point to the success of dual language programs in meeting the educational needs of students of different backgrounds, including high-risk students from different ethnic, low income, and language minority groups.

Author

• Kathryn Lindholm-Leary, San José State University