Summary:
Bilingual education when working concurrently with ESL programs extends the boundaries of education to accommodate individual needs of the child to ensure a smooth and established transition into their new country. Bilingual education provides the child with high levels of confidence to progress through their childhood years.
Education is the most important stage of a child's development, and often it is necessary to adjust styles of teaching for a child's special needs. This is particular the case of migrant children who not only have to deal with the standard issues of childhood but alongside with problems such as culture clash, learning a new language and lacks of confidence they need to adjust to their new surroundings. Bilingual education when working concurrently with ESL programs extends the boundaries of education to accommodate individual needs of the child to ensure a smooth and established transition into their new country.
In some cases, it can be conceded that children, especially teenagers develop English slower in bilingual programs than those attending ESL. It is true in many circumstances, the fastest way to learn English is to expose the child to it. However it is essential to note that education encompasses not only the subject of English, but others that are just as crucial in a child's development; they include subjects such as geography and history which relies on an understanding of a language in order for these concepts and ideas to be taught and passed successfully into the child. It is hence indicated that the child cannot grasp the ideas and concepts of history and geography without an established language in which to describe it. Children in ESL programs especially older ones are often in a long period of time in a phase of language clash. Resulting in a situation where the new is coming in terms of the old and neither advancing toward any higher plane. This is most troublesome in situations where new concepts such as 'globalisation' is introduced without the child's ability to linguistically describe the term as neither languages are able to progress: the new still coming to terms with the old and the old unable to develop due to its isolation. Bilingual education allows the development of the old language to accommodate the needs of other subjects while at the same time improving their new language and providing a better quality of education and confidence for the child.
Bilingual education provides the child with high levels of confidence to progress through their childhood years. It helps the child to keep his/her previous culture, eliminating the risks of culture clash which can often cause harm in a child's development. The child commune with those of similar origin; it is true this creates isolated sub-groups nevertheless it boosts confidence and teachers regularly encourage social interactions between groups regularly in activities such as group work and sport. It helps students to be introduced to new cultures in a culturally appropriate way allowing support from peers without the set-backs of culture clash.
The decision however still rests dependently on the parent or guardian. ESL programs still offer great advantages such as a quicker grasp of English and a more integrated and effective introduction of the new culture. One can suggest that ESL programs work better with young children as it avoids problems such as language clash and cultural isolation. Migrating into a new country is hard on both children and parents alike and ultimately, the choice between ESL programs and Bilingual education should be based and attuned to the child's and parents individual interests, circumstances and needs.
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