What are the political and instructional issues surrounding bilingual education?
In Lau v. Nichols (1974), the Supreme Court ruled that schools were deficient in their treatment of students with limited English proficiency. Many schools subsequently established a variety of bilingual programs. Some programs teach students in their native language until they learn English (the transitional approach), others teach in both languages (the maintenance approach), and some use English as a Second Language (ESL). Studies suggest that many bilingual programs often fall short of their goals, and some critics advocate fast-paced immersion (also termed “submersion”), an effort supported by those who want English to be declared the “official” American language. The future direction of bilingual education may be as much a political determination as an instructional one. • What are the purposes and approaches of multicultural education? Multicultural education has multiple purposes, including expanding the curriculum to reflect the national diversity; expanding teaching strategie
