CLAD Bilingual Education and Program Models 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which bilingual program model aims to develop full proficiency in both the home language and English, with the goal of maintaining the student's native language?
- Transitional bilingual education
- Developmental (maintenance) bilingual education (Correct answer)
- Structured English immersion
- Submersion
Correct answer: Developmental (maintenance) bilingual education
Developmental or maintenance bilingual education supports students in achieving academic proficiency in both their home language and English.
Question 2: In a transitional bilingual education (TBE) program, the primary long-term goal is to:
- Maintain the student's native language indefinitely
- Move students toward English-only instruction as quickly as possible (Correct answer)
- Teach all content in the native language through high school
- Eliminate academic use of English until grade 3
Correct answer: Move students toward English-only instruction as quickly as possible
TBE programs use the native language as a bridge to English, with the exit goal of transitioning students into mainstream English-only classrooms.
Question 3: Dual language immersion programs typically aim for what language distribution in early grades?
- 100% English instruction
- 50% English and 50% target language
- 90% target language and 10% English, shifting over time (Correct answer)
- 75% English and 25% target language
Correct answer: 90% target language and 10% English, shifting over time
Many dual language programs use a 90/10 model in early grades, gradually increasing English instruction as students advance.
Question 4: Which of the following is a key distinguishing feature of a two-way dual language immersion program?
- Only English-dominant students are enrolled
- Both native English speakers and English learners are integrated and learn each other's languages (Correct answer)
- Instruction is delivered entirely in the target language
- Students exit the program after two years
Correct answer: Both native English speakers and English learners are integrated and learn each other's languages
Two-way dual language programs integrate native English speakers with English learners so both groups develop bilingualism and biliteracy.
Question 5: Structured English Immersion (SEI) is best described as:
- Content taught entirely in the student's home language
- An approach where English learners receive instruction almost entirely in English adjusted to their proficiency level (Correct answer)
- A program that separates ELs from native English speakers indefinitely
- A biliteracy model targeting both languages equally
Correct answer: An approach where English learners receive instruction almost entirely in English adjusted to their proficiency level
SEI delivers instruction in English at a level comprehensible to ELs, without systematic use of the native language for academic content.
Question 6: Research on bilingual education consistently shows that students who develop strong literacy in their first language:
- Are more likely to struggle with English academic language
- Transfer literacy and cognitive skills to English acquisition more effectively (Correct answer)
- Need more time to reach English proficiency than SEI students
- Perform poorly in mathematics due to language interference
Correct answer: Transfer literacy and cognitive skills to English acquisition more effectively
Cummins' transfer theory holds that academic and literacy skills developed in L1 transfer to L2, accelerating English academic achievement.
CLAD Bilingual Education and Program Models 1
Which bilingual program model aims to develop full proficiency in both the home language and English, with the goal of maintaining the student's native language?