ERIC ED427523: Current Issues in the Spanish Language Proficiency of Bilingual Education Teachers.

18 Pages·1998·0.29 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
FL 025 695
ED 427 523
AUTHOR
Guerrero, Michael D.
Current Issues in the Spanish Language Proficiency of
TITLE
Bilingual Education Teachers.
ISSN
ISSN-0898-8471
1998-00-00
PUB DATE
17p.; For the complete volume of working papers, see FL 025
NOTE
687.
-- Journal Articles (080)
Information Analyses (070)
PUB TYPE
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education; v3 n3 p135-49
JOURNAL CIT
Fall 1998
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
*Bilingual Education; *Bilingual Teachers; Elementary
DESCRIPTORS
Secondary Education; Higher Education; *Language
Proficiency; Language Research; *Native Language
Instruction; *Spanish; Teacher Education; *Teacher
Qualifications
ABSTRACT
The paper examines some critical issues regarding the
Spanish language proficiency of bilingual education teachers, primarily those
from the Spanish-language-origin community. Recent longitudinal studies have
demonstrated a positive relationship between sustained native language
instruction and student achievement. Because this finding is encouraging, it
is suggested that it is time to take a closer look at the context in which
bilingual education teachers develop their Spanish language proficiency. This
examination reveals that given the present subtractive sociolinguistic
context in the United States, the likelihood of bilingual teachers developing
native-like Spanish language proficiency is low. Further, the Spanish
language preparation bilingual education teachers receive at higher education
institutions is not commensurate with the task of developing a high level of
Spanish proficiency. Finally, the Spanish language proficiency measures used
to gauge the proficiency of bilingual education teachers have some problems.
It is concluded that under present circumstances, bilingual education
teachers with the ability to sustained native language instruction will be
the exception. Contains 36 references.
(MSE)
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Current Issues in the Spanish Language Proficiency
of Bilingual
Education Teachers
MICHAEL D. GUERRERO, The University
of Texas at Austin
kr)
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1
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Current Issues in the Spanish Language Proficiency of Bilingual
Education Teachers
MICHAEL D. GUERRERO, The University of Texas at Austin
The purpose of this paper is to examine some critical issues regarding the
Spanish language proficiency of bilingual education teachers, primarily
the Spanish language-origin
teachers from
those
Recent
community.
longitudinal studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between
sustained
and student achievement.
native-language
instruction
Be-
cause this finding is encouraging, it is time to take a closer look at the
context in which bilingual education teachers develop their Spanish lan-
guage proficiency. This examination reveals that given the present sub-
tractive sociolinguistic context in the
of bilingual
U.S., the likelihood
teachers developing native-like
is an up-
Spanish language proficiency
battle. Further, the Spanish language preparation
hill
bilingual educa-
tion teachers receive at institutions of higher education
is not commen-
surate with the task of developing a high level of Spanish language pro-
Finally, the Spanish
used to
ficiency.
language proficiency
measures
gauge the Spanish language proficiency of bilingual education teachers
are not without their problems. Under the present circumstances, bilin-
gual education
teachers with the ability to provide
native-
sustained
language instruction will continue to be the exception.
INTRODUCTION
There is little doubt that the longitudinal findings of both the Ramirez,
Yuen, and Ramey (1991) and Thomas and Collier (1997) studies provided
sorely needed empirical evidence that the sustained use of the English
learner's native language, in this instance Spanish, is a key variable positively
associated with student achievement. Clearly, there are other variables that
probably contribute to the success of the learner, such as program design, pa-
rental involvement, a shared vision among staff, appropriate assessment
practices and strong leadership provided by the principals. The use of the na-
tive language, however, arguably assumes a more central role in the success
of the learner. Language issues must be considered while the school staff de-
signs the program. Similarly, language issues are probably considered as the
staff engages in developing and implementing parental involvement activi-
ties, assessment policies, and vision building. Principals probably work dili-
gently to recruit and hire highly qualified staff, especially staff with solid
Spanish language skills.
136
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
The most central of all the lan-
or in aid activities, even if use of
the languages is not explicitly
guage decisions made in a bilingual
forbidden. The prevailing ideol-
program relate
the
classroom
to
ogy may be consciously linguicist,
teacher's use of the Spanish
lan-
e.g. teachers instruct pupils not to
guage for instructional purposes and
use their mother tongue, because
the ability of the teacher to use the
they are under the delusion that
language
for
academic
purposes.
a ban of this kind will help the
This centrality hinges on the fact
learning of another language.
that it is the classroom teacher who
The point is that bilingual edu-
spends the majority of the school
cation teachers are not immune to
day with the learners in attempting
the subtractive and linguicist orien-
to implement the bilingual program.
tation of U.S. society. The majority
The conscious and deliberate
of these teachers and their families
consideration of the role of the non-
were schooled in the U.S. and hence
English language in successful bilin-
subjected to the array of language
gual education programs is symp-
practices that perpetuate language
tomatic of the implementation of
shift and loss among speakers of
such programs in a society that has a
Spanish language origin. In short,
strong subtractive (Lambert,
1977)
the implementation of a bilingual
and linguicist orientation
(Phillip-
education program
that
includes
son, 1988). This subtractive orienta-
sustained native-language
instruc-
tion is best exemplified by the fact
tion goes against the linguistic grain
that few schools aim to maintain
of this country and will
require
and
the
continue developing
much
and
conscious
deliberate
learner's first language. These pro-
planning on the part of the school
grams are generally referred to as
staff.
transitional bilingual education pro-
Providing sustained native lan-
grams as they aim to transition the
guage instruction
entails
logically
learner from Spanish language in-
the availability of bilingual educa-
to English language in-
struction
tion teachers with the facility to do
struction as quickly as possible and
so. The development of this facility,
with no long term commitment to
however, is contingent upon mean-
native language development.
ingful language development oppor-
of lin-
Regarding the notion
tunities, which may be hard to come
guicism, Phillipson
(1988, p. 341)
by through mandatory (K-12) public
states
schooling in the U.S. Consequently,
most bilingual education teachers
The forms that linguicism takes
will rely on the required language
are many. For instance, structural
related course work at a teacher
linguicism may be overt, e.g. use
of a given language is prohibited
training institution to develop this
in institutional settings such as
Unfortunately,
universities
skill.
schools. Or linguicism may be
and colleges are part of the same sub-
covert, e.g. certain languages are
tractive sociolinguistic milieu. Span-
de facto not used in teacher train-
ish language development requires
ing, or as languages of instruction,
4
Proficiency of Bilingual Education Teachers
137
time, more time than most post-
guage to a high cognitive level, the
are able or
secondary institutions
learners must also have access to
willing to offer prospective bilingual
this level of language or to target-
education teachers.
language speakers, especially teach-
The irony of the situation re-
ers (Wong Fillmore, 1989). It is the
sides in the fact that well inten-
teacher who carries the responsibil-
tioned state departments of educa-
ity of modeling spoken and written
tion Spanish that will provide even na-
require
bilingual
education
teachers to pass a formal Spanish
tive Spanish-speaking children the
language examination. The nature
opportunity to develop further their
of the tests, however, varies greatly
oral and literacy skills.
(Grant, 1995), and this author be-
Collier also maintains that in
order for a learner to develop aca-
lieves that their construct validity is
demically, in an efficient manner,
open to question. More importantly,
the lanpage standards inherent to
the student must receive instruction
in the native language. Academic
these measures may not be adequate
includes growth in
for making a judgment about an in-
development
each of the content areas such as
dividual's
deliver
ability
sus-
to
tained native-language instruction.
science, and social studies.
math,
is that the class-
The social consequences generated
The implication
by using these tests must be carefully
room teacher will also serve as a key
examined.
target-lanpage speaker from whom
Sustained native-language
in-
the learner should be able to acquire
struction is desirable, but the social
academic language proficiency in the
conditions for providing bilingual
non-English language.
education teachers the opportunities
Stated differently, the bilingual
they need to develop
native-like
education teacher should be able to
not
instruction
Spanish
deliver
proficiency
are
in
in
the
no n-
widely available. It is the intent of
English language across the curricu-
this paper to begin placing these is-
lum as well as the mainstream class-
sues into proper perspective.
English
room teacher
in
does
will
1977). This
(Gaarder,
ability
SUSTAINED NATIVE LANGUAGE
likely transcend a simple knowledge
of technical vocabulary in the con-
INSTRUCTION
Collier (1995, p. 3) makes the
tent areas. It will require the ability
statement that
to comprehend (listen and read) and
produce (speak and write) the non-
English language with appropriate
To assure cognitive and academic
success in a second language, a
syntax, cohesive markers, rhetorical
student's first language system,
organization,
functions,
gestures,
oral and written, must be devel-
figures of speech, and cultural refer-
oped to a high cognitive level a t
ences, all of which may vary depend-
through the elementary
least
ing on the subject matter taught.
school years.
Trueba (1989, p. 113) adds:
One can assume that, in order for
learners to develop their first lan-
5
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
138
and are subjected to the same sub-
In bilingual education, lack of
mastery of the language of in-
tractive and linguicist practices and
struction causes serious problems
as everybody else.
These
policies
for the teachers; it affects their
unfortunately,
begin
practices,
to
their
management,
classroom
the
bilingual
prospective
impact
clarity in explaining subject mat-
at a
education teacher negatively
ter, and the quality of relation-
ships with native speakers of
very early age and continue to do so
that language. If a teacher does
throughout their public education
not know the
target language
experience.
linguistic and
children's
well,
Even before schooling begins,
cognitive development also suf-
Spanish-speaking
parents
struggle
fers, because they are deprived
with the decision as to whether or
of guidance and feedback
in
not they should teach their children
situations where correct and pre-
cise use of the language is re-
Grosjean
Spanish.
p.
(1982,
124)
quired to understand a concept or
states, "in the United States, there
the logical foundations of reason-
are innumerable examples of immi-
ing.
if not
grant parents encouraging,
forcing, their children to learn Eng-
Again, there are other factors,
lish, with the potential consequence
such as program design, methodol-
that some may become rootless and
and educational
ogy, assessment,
alienated from their native language
policies, that can influence the aca-
group."
demic success of English-language
From a linguistic perspective,
learners. Nonetheless, no one can
and to the degree to which Spanish-
deny that each classroom teacher oc-
speaking parents withhold linguistic
cupies a critical role in the academic
input from their young children, it
success of English learners. Moreo-
is at this point that the lion's share
ver, it is not the language ability of
of the damage may occur. According
each teacher in isolation that mat-
to the model of communicative lan-
ters, but rather the collective, consis-
guage ability set forth by Bachman
tent, and sustained use of the native
(1990), linguistic input that begins to
language over several years that will
shape the organizational and prag-
student
determine
outcomes
as
matic competence of the young child
Thomas and Collier's research sug-
may be withheld. The linguistic and
gests (1997).
social consequences, as Hernández-
Chavez (1993, p. 58) states, are that
BEFORE THEY BECOME
BILINGUAL TEACHERS
Large numbers of Chicano chil-
The main position of this paper
dren and young people
from
is that prospective bilingual educa-
Spanish speaking families ei-
teachers from
the
tion
Sp anish-
ther no longer learn the language
language-origin community
often
or acquire but a limited facility
As a result, patterns of
do not reach expected levels of profi-
in
it.
disrupted,
are
communication
ciency in the Spanish language due
cultural
and
social
structures
to a variety of factors. Basically, pro-
break down and youth become a -
spective bilingual education teachers
lienated from their communities.
are members of the wider society
6
Proficiency of Bilingual Education Teachers
139
there is one that they do not
know? How do they
A frequently cited reason that
respond
when they realize that the only
immigrants
Spanish-speaking
do
language they know has no func-
not transmit the Spanish language
tion or value in that new social
to their children is rooted in the par-
world, and that in fact, it consti-
belief that
ents'
children
their
if
tutes a barrier to their participa-
learn English, they will secure good
of the
tion in the social
life
school? They do just as the pro-
jobs and prosper. Petialosa (1980) and
moters of early education for lan-
Zentella (1990) argue that this belief
students hope
guage minority
is more a myth than reality. Chica-
they will. They learn English,
nos and Puerto Ricans continue to
and too often, they drop their
be economically marginalized even
primary languages as they do. In
after acquiring English.
time, many of these children lose
their first languages.
The economic argument aside,
immigrant
Spanish-speaking
par-
are also
Unfortunately,
there
ents also receive numerous mes-
few opportunities offered through
sages from different components of
the K-12 educational system in this
society indicating that their children
country to promote the maintenance
should be taught only English. The
and development
of non-English
present movement to make English
languages among school age chil-
the official language of the U.S. is a
dren. In a study conducted by the
case in point. The recent judicial case
U.S. Department of Education (1993),
in which a judge equated a mother's
a number of findings relevant to this
speaking Spanish
her young
to
discussion were reported. The study
daughter with child abuse is yet an-
found that
other (Morales, 1995). Further, the
parents themselves may have been
1. Only 17% of schools provide a
using Spanish
victimized
at
for
significant degree of primary lan-
school.
guage instruction.
As young children from the
Spanish language community enter
2. ESL is the predominant instruc-
schooling, the message to abandon
tional approach.
the Spanish language is further rein-
forced. Wong Fillmore (1991, p. 20),
3. Of the 363,000 teachers providing
in a compelling study of preschool
services to Limited English Profi-
programs designed to serve language
cient students, only 10% are certi-
minority
that
children,
concludes
fied bilingual teachers.
many of these children lose their
primary language as they learn Eng-
4. The majority of teachers serving
lish. The researcher explains
Spanish-speaking pupils have no
proficiency in Spanish.
Consider what happens when
young children find themselves
in the attractive new world of
With regard to the finding that
the American school. What do
the majority of teachers that serve
they do when they discover that
Spanish-speaking pupils lack profi-
the only language that is spoken
7
140
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
ciency in the language, even those
These findings
are
especially
few students that do find their way
important since it is youth of Span-
a bilingual program cannot
ish language origin who will proba-
into
count on having the kind of access
bly become bilingual teachers. Fewer
they need to continue developing
and fewer members of this group
will raise their children to speak
language academic
Spanish
their
proficiency. Escamilla (1992) studied
Spanish, and those that do may pass
various features of 25 elementary bi-
on a model of Spanish-language pro-
lingual maintenance programs over
ficiency unlike that of native speak-
a 2-year period. With regard to the
ers. This trend is facilitated by the
uses to which Spanish and English
lack of high-quality bilingual educa-
tion programs in the U.S. In short,
were put, the researcher reports that
in some classrooms Spanish was
the pool from which to draw profi-
used primarily for direction giving
cient speakers and writers of Spanish
and discipline. English was used for
is continuously dwindling.
academic instruction and conversa-
Merino and Faltis (1993) indi-
cate that sustained native-language
tion.
It should also be noted that bi-
instruction appears to be contingent
upon two factors, teacher language
lingual education in the U.S. is most
readily associated with elementary
proficiency and the implementation
of a well-articulated, late-exit (K-6)
school programs as opposed to sec-
ondary education programs (Faltis &
In
education
program.
bilingual
Arias, 1993). Not only are there pro-
short, with so few exemplary, devel-
opmental bilingual education pro-
portionately fewer bilingual educa-
tion programs at the secondary level,
grams, it is unlikely that the pressing
but there are also fewer programs demand for prospective bilingual
that are aimed at continued devel-
education teachers that are proficient
opment of the learner's Spanish lan-
in Spanish will be met through edu-
cation. Moreover, with continuously
guage skills.
decreasing numbers of individuals
Consequently, with each succes-
sive year of schooling, the likelihood
proficient in the Spanish language, it
that any meaningful
of opportunities for prospective bi-
unlikely
is
lingual education teachers
number of programs designed to use
de-
to
velop academic Spanish language
sustained
native
language-
could ever be imple-
proficiency is further reduced. The
instruction
result of such an educational experi-
mented at any given point in time.
ence for the majority of members
This discussion would be in-
complete if some thought was not
Spanish-language-origin
from
a
community is language shift that
given as to why there are so few ex-
emplary bilingual programs in the
generally results in language loss. A
number of studies using U.S. Census
U.S. and why there is a dire need for
data support the trend of language
education
well-trained
bilingual
teachers with native-like academic
and Spanish-
among
shift
loss
language-origin people in the U.S.
proficiency in Spanish. The reason is
1989; Veltman,
Her-
arguably intimately related to the so-
(Bills,
1988;
cietal value placed on bilingualism
nandez-Chdvez, 1996).
8
Proficiency of Bilingual Education Teachers
141
in this country. Kjolseth (1983, p. 48)
or she possess foreign-language
skills suitable for the "imitative
maintains
capacities of young children."
Time could be turned to our
We are not bumpkins but quite
advantage, however, if we were
ordinary and normal humans
to conserve, develop, and capi-
who develop
skills
language
talize on the language skills of
when they are effectively called
the language minority students in
for, and do not when they are not.
our schools. These skills, devel-
And although easily made the
oped through tens of thousands of
scapegoat, our schools are not to
hours of mother tongue instruc-
blame, because schools reflect
tion, offer both a quick fix and a
the cultural policies i.e., val-
long term solution to the problem
ues of our dominant groupsand
of American monolingualism.
are merely the places where our
The average language minor-
main cultural myths are trans-
ity child entering kindergarten
lated into curriculum.
has a higher level of language
than
average
mastery the
of the
The language values
graduate of the intensive and ex-
dominant groups in this society are,
pensive 47 week Defense Lan-
as Kjolseth
has
described,
guage Institute program.
(1983)
schizophrenic. On the one hand, in
It is beyond the scope of this
this society it is admirable when na-
discussion to examine closely why
tive speakers of English learn non-
are firmly
such language policies
English languages through foreign
rooted in U.S. society. Is it out of na-
language study, even as imperfect as
tionalism,
compassion,
ignorance,
their mastery of the languages will
linguicism, or simply the need to
be. On the other hand, before mem-
sustain a steady supply of individu-
non-English-language-
of
bers
a
als to fill undesirable and low-status
speaking group can perfect their na-
jobs (Spener, 1988)? Perhaps a case
language through
schooling,
tive
could be made for each rationale.
they must postpone, perhaps aban-
Regardless of the motivation,
is
it
don, this endeavor and first (or only)
clear that when it comes to cultivat-
acquire English. The point is that, if
ing language resources in the U.S.,
the dominant groups in our society
is subtractive and
the orientation
truly value bilingualism, it must be
linguicist.
supported in a manner that is logical
In sum, prospective bilingual
and that generates the best results.
education teachers must survive the
Lyons (1990, p. 79) explains,
sociolinguistic forces that gradually
and predictably deteriorate the Span-
[C]onsider that an undergraduate
ish language abilities of the general
student preparing to be a teacher
would receive in four years only
commu-
Spanish-language-origin
600 hours, at five hours per week,
nity even before schooling begins.
of foreign language instruction.
Schooling, bilingual education pro-
The average graduate of such a
grams, and foreign language training
teacher-training program lacks
in particular do little to enhance the
the skills to use properly, much
Spanish language abilities of pro-
less teach, a foreign language to
children. Only rarely would h e
spective bilingual education teach-
142
Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education
ers, because they are predicated upon
comes to re-
problem when it
search on the
preparation
that
premises,
illogical
of
ideologies
teachers to work in culturally
over the decades have only proven
diverse schools, especially when
how ineffective
they
Conse-
are.
that preparation includes work-
quently, it is unreasonable to expect
ing with limited English profi-
prospective bilingual
education
cient (LEP) students.
to have
gained an age-
teachers
appropriate level of academic Span-
Dalton and Moir (1992, p. 416)
ish language proficiency prior
speak more specifically to the paucity
to
teacher training.
of research on the effectiveness of bi-
lingual
teacher-training
education
programs. These authors state,
THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER EDUCATION
Virtually no research has been
It appears that in practice little
program evaluation
dedicated to the design of bilingual
specifi-
is
cally designed for internal use in
education teacher training programs,
program improvement or to in-
including
training
the
language
crease understanding about de-
component of these programs; that
velopmental
This
processes.
is, little research has been conducted
means that
suitability
the
of
that might provide empirical evi-
teacher education curricula for
the communities served, the ef-
dence for the effectiveness of such
fect of the program on profes-
programs. Rodriguez (1980, p. 372)
sional and LEP student consumers,
states,
and experiences of program par-
ticipants remain largely
unex-
Legislative
and
regulations
plored.
State Board of Education guide-
lines press teacher trainers with
What can be inferred
from
bilingual
myriad
lists
for
is that
these observations
little is
teacher competencies. While a 11
also known about the effectiveness
such competency lists are said to
of different approaches on develop-
be synonymous with effective bi-
lingual teachers, they are vul-
ing the prospective bilingual educa-
nerable to criticism for several
tion teacher's Spanish language pro-
reasons. To begin, there is as yet
ficiency. As previously stated, many
or no empirical evidence
little
instructing
teachers
Spanish-
that
existing competencies are
speaking students have no profi-
valid. Most competencies for bi-
ciency in Spanish (U.S. Department
lingual education teachers
are
of Education, 1993). Assuming the
generated by experts.
teachers to which this finding ap-
Little appears to have changed
plies have already taken the required
since Rodriguez made this
state-
course work to instruct in a bilingual
ment. Grant (1992, p. 431) observes
setting, it is also safe to assume that
that
the Spanish language training they
received did not fully meet their
While the lack of a substantial
needs. This trend is not new. A dec-
body of solid research is a serious
ade earlier, Waggoner and O'Malley
problem in teacher education in
general, it
is a doubly serious
iG