70.054 - The Bilingual Advantage: Language, Literacy, and the U.S. Labor Market

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

This session describes findings from the new edited volume The Bilingual Advantage: Language, Literacy and U.S. Labor Market. The volume provides compelling evidence, contrary to prior studies, that fluent bilingualism yields a real advantage in the labor market as well as in college going. This is especially true for Latinos "with immigrant roots," though advantages are found for all bilinguals. The findings of these studies make clear that the real "pay off" for society is not in English only or transitional bilingual instruction but for maintenance bilingual education that develops fluent and literate bilinguals.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Hispanic Research Issues

Chair

• Richard P. Duran, University of California - Santa Barbara

Papers

• The Bilingual Advantage: Language, Literacy, and the U.S. Labor Market - Rebecca M. Callahan, The University of Texas - Austin; Patricia C. Gándara, University of California - Los Angeles

Discussants

• Claudia G. Cervantes-Soon, The University of Texas at Austin

• Veronica E. Valdez, University of Utah

• Augustina Reyes, University of Houston

• Adam Sawyer, Bard College