At one time children were punished if they spoke the language of their immigrant parents in our public schools, even on the playground. It happened to children who spoke German, Swedish and, of course, Spanish at home. Most teachers, I am sure, meant well. Afterall if children were going to live here, it behooved them to master English.

Sink Or Swim

But the immersion swim or sink system was horrible.

Horrible because it denigrated the child’s first language and consequently their family, their culture, their self-esteem.  It did not make education or assimilation any easier.

I attended grade school in the Panama Canal Zone, and we were forbidden from speaking Spanish. Most teachers were gentle about the mandate but firm nonetheless. It was worse in my native California.

Change

In time, and it took longer than it should have, many realized that to malign a child’s primary language was counterproductive to that child’s education.

To change the modus operandi and establish a more effective way of educating children, English as a Second Language programs were common by the 1960s. Many were successful; some were not.

We should remember that some bilingual programs quickly evolved in many places to classes being taught in Spanish. Thus, students with a smattering of English did not progress in English. Teachers were hired and awarded tenure who did not speak English. Bilingual morphed into classes being taught in Spanish. Knowledge was transmitted but fluency in English was not achieved.

That most assuredly was the case in the 1970s and 80s in New Jersey.  How do I know? I was a college president there from 1975 to 1985. I saw that reality firsthand. I was also on the State Board of Education where I opposed the existing practice. Bilingual education, I insisted, should be bilingual. In my four years on the Board the existing practice did not change.

New Age

Others nationwide feared the counter-productive result of many, again not all, bilingual programs. Today, we have evolved to English Language Learners (ELLs) and exciting dual-language programs. They are improvements.

Dual language programs serve both English speakers and Spanish speakers in the same classroom. Both are introduced to a new language while retaining and improving their original language. Europe has been doing this for centuries. It is a successful model with long term benefits for children.

Bilingual Pioneers

Dr. Virginia Collier and Dr. Wayne Thomas – these scholars are different from many others who conduct meaningful research only to have it remain the purview of other scholars rarely encouraging change. These two data-based hands-on practitioners have worked directly with policymakers to attain institutional changes.

In 1985, Dr. Collier was a seasoned and impassioned believer in the advantage of bilingual education. Why? Because of her firsthand experiences. Dr. Thomas, a competent professional computer expert, suggested they needed documentation to validate and strengthen their recommendations.

First, they studied the history of all programs and documented their successes and shortcomings. Based on that information they devised data-based suggestions and implementation strategies they shared with policy makers to effectuate change.   

For over three decades their research on effectiveness for English Language Learners (ELLs) has provided grist and justification for their recommendations. Amazingly they have analyzed more than two million student records, the largest and longest longitudinal study ever undertaken on ELL programs, practices and outcomes.

Their research has influenced classroom practice, school district and state politics, and school policy in places as diverse as Norway and Uruguay, as well as many states in the Union. ELL educators who battle erroneous perceptions everyday welcome the hard data facts that Collier and Thomas have produced.

Focusing On The Problems

Their award-winning United States national research studies have impacted school policies throughout the world. To facilitate change, this dynamic duo conducted educational leadership training for superintendents, principals and education policymakers in 32 U.S. states and 15 countries.

Thomas and Collier have been repeatedly interviewed by the media. It has resulted in an astonishing 209 newspaper articles, as well as television and radio interviews throughout the world.

A very effective and committed speaker, Dr. Collier has delivered 250 keynote speeches and 511 invited and refereed presentations to international, national, state, and local conferences.

Their research has led to five books: “Educating English Learners for a Transformed World” (2009), “Dual Language Education for a Transformed World” (2012), “Creating Dual Language Schools for a Transformed World: Administrators Speak” (2014), “Why Dual Language Schooling” (2017), and “Transforming Secondary Education: Middle and High School Dual Language Programs” (2018).

The Prism Model

By collecting and analyzing program effectiveness data with their Prism Model they arrived at reliable predictions about program effectiveness. Those findings led to developing theoretical perspectives on analyses of longitudinal student data, which demonstrate the importance of following English learners’ achievement over long periods of time.

Thus, documenting individual student progress over five to six years at a minimum, instead of the typical one to two years, has revealed that the typical short-term finding of “no significant difference across programs” has misled the field and policy makers.

Whereas, long-term findings yield extremely significant differences among school programs. This conclusion is key to achieving productive changes.

They have found consistently in each of their research studies that only high-quality bilingual schooling has the potential to close the academic achievement gap.

By introducing “degree of gap closure” as the primary measure of program success, rather than pre-post score differences among groups, they have shown that English-only and transitional bilingual programs of short duration only close about 50% of the achievement gap.

On the other hand, high quality long-term bilingual programs close the entire gap after five to six years of schooling through two languages.

Bottomline

Quality long-term bilingual programs work. Dual language programs are providing outstanding results.

Immersion, sink or swim programs, short-term bilingual programs, Spanish or English only programs are inferior and of dubious efficacy.

These intensely documented conclusions have been accepted by both scholars and practitioners. The Collier-Thomas hands-on practical data approach has led to productive changes throughout the world.

There is light flickering at the end of the tunnel. •