The Benefits of a Bilingual Education - Assignment Example

Discussion Postings Name Institution Date Discussion Postings Discussion forum topic 1.1 Bilingual education differs in great length from language education. Bilingual education involves education within a framework whereby various languages are involved. For instance an example of bilingual type of education involves an immigrant who has to undergo the education process while learning a second language for the purposes of communication and interaction with the use of a language that is considered as common to the country. In this case a bilingual education system involves learners who are in the process of learning a second language that will facilitate the communication process. On the other hand language education involves the process of learning a language in a formal setting. In language education the process of learning does not necessarily involve learners learning a language as a second language. Language education therefore involves the learners learning the semantic and grammar that is associated with a certain language. In addition the language in question may involve a language that the learners engage in their everyday lives through their forms of interaction. Hence language education does not necessarily mean learning a new language through a formal setting. Bilingual education and language learning therefore differ in terms of their scope and the concentration of each concept in the formal learning process (Cummins, 2000). Discussion forum topic 1.2 Mother tongue is regarded as the most common concept in relation to bilingualism. Mother tongue is usually defined as a general language that is usually spoken in an individual home during his childhood. Heritage language refers to language being spoken by certain ethnic community. Mother tongue may not be in use by an individual at present. Many minority groups have adopted the use of mother tongue to refer to the language of their ancestors. An individual may be considered as a native speaker of a particular language even though the mother was of a different language. In this case it becomes complex to designate an individual’s mother tongues. In some cases immigrants may learn the mother tongue together with the cultural orientations of a particular nation and become so fluent to be considered as native speakers. Hence the terms mother tongue and native speakers lose meaning in terms of bilingual speakers as it becomes difficult to differentiate the meaning of the terms. Therefore the terms tend to be engaged as a symbol of separation between minority and majority groups. Various difficulties are faced in the process of identifying a mother tongue. Competence in a language and the functionality of the language being used should be regarded as criteria for identification of mother tongue and native speakers in order to avoid difficulty in bilingual speakers (Romaine, 1994). Discussion forum topic 1.3 Translanguaging is regarded as a term that extends more to language use and general contact among bilinguals. The process of translanguaging enables bilinguals to construct meaning in their everyday interactions. Hence in a bilingual type of speech rules and norms are activated for the purposes of overlapping a single language and create harmony in the process of mixing various elements from different languages. Translanguaging enables an easy transmission of both written and signed languages as deaf students often engage in the use of translanguaging. Bilingual individuals translanguage in order to include and facilitate communication with others. In addition translanguaging helps in the construction deeper understanding and making sense of the reality of the bilingual realms. Therefore the process of translanguaging involves the use of multiple conversational practices that bilinguals engage so as to create logic of the bilingual world in the process of communicating with others. In this case the term translanguaging although it includes code switching it cannot be equated to code switching in its entity. An example of translanguaging involves situation whereby children speak a particular language in school for instance English but switch to a different language when communicating with their parents for instance German. The bilingual children will therefore trans language so as to create meanings in their communication process (Yip & Matthews 2007). Discussion forum topic 2.1 Acquisition of an additional language should be distinguished from learning a second language. Acquisition occurs through the informal means while learning a second language is done in either formal settings or in schools. There are various advantages that are associated with the early introduction of the second language. This is usually based on the mentality that early introduction is better for bilingualism. Early introduction of a second language proves to be beneficial to children due to the fact that is posts impressive results. During the early ages children are able to grasp some content of the language that will remain in their brain for longer periods. It is also proved that competence in language learning is attributed to age factors. In early stages a child will be able to acquire more competence in particular language concepts as opposed to introduction of a language at a later stage in life. Introduction of learning a language at birth assists a child with more opportunities to grasp the concepts of a language more easily in order to increase the competence levels in the process of learning. Scholars therefore argue that introduction of a second language at birth or during the early years proves to be more beneficial that introducing learning in a second language later in life (Li Wei , 2000). Discussion forum topic 2.2 Monolinguals are considered as more intelligent that bilinguals in many aspects of the language and performance itself. A concept of semilingualism is therefore used to refer to the uneven performance of bilingual individuals in two languages as compared to monolingual individuals. The lack of proficiency in both languages has led to bilinguals performances being considered as lower as compared to monolingual students. Monolingual individuals have their concentration in one language and therefore in the process gain proficiency and acquire a higher performance in general terms. Bilinguals on the other hand in the process of learning two languages may try to construct meanings out of the languages learnt. This may in turn affect their proficiency level and the rate of performance. It is crucial for educators to help the bilinguals acquire proficiency and attain a higher performance. Educators should play an active role in assisting children to acquire a full proficiency in the academic level of the language of authority in the society in which they co-exist. It may be difficult for children to acquire full competence in two language hence making monolinguals more intelligent than bilinguals as monolinguals have attained full competence in one language that they engage in the process of learning and communication (Cummins, 2000). Discussion forum topic 2.3 Second learners are considered individuals who engage in the process of learning whereby apart from their initial language a second language is learnt. This practice is more common among immigrants who find themselves in a foreign land with a different kind of language. In order to integrate into the setting of a foreign land it is important to learn a language that will facilitate both the learning and the communication process. In most cases second language learners are considered as bilinguals. This is due to the fact that they engage in the communication process with the use of the two languages; the initially acquired and the second learnt language. Engaging in the learning process of a second language is beneficial. The benefits include that an individual will be in a position to effectively communicate with the native speaker of the language being learnt. Second language learners are also able to fit in the education system in a country as they are in the process of learning of the second language that is used in the education system. Hence in this case bilingual plays an important role in both the learning and communication process of an individual. Being a bilingual enables an individual to effectively communicate through the use of the language learnt (Heller, 2007). Discussion forum topics on Module 3 Discussion forum topic 3.1 In relation to culture there are a lot of difficulties that are related to communication and other aspects. Culture and languages are two entities that are related and one cannot function without the other. In a bilingual setting an individual with the knowledge of two languages need to understand the cultural orientation of the language that an individual is learning and speaking at the same time. Intercultural communication involves interaction through language with individuals of different cultural orientation. There is a lot of difficulty as the cultural orientation differs. In the process of communication different cultures assign various meanings to different words and phrases. A bilingual will experience a situation known as cross-cultural orientation that involves interaction between two different cultural orientations. Intercultural communication involves the use of various meanings and concepts in relation to the culture of the language in use. Culture is used in the process of assigning meanings to words. The problem of cultural differences between the different languages arises. These cultural differences may lead to conflicts in bilingual individual in terms of assigning different meanings. The remedy lies in the individual apart from learning the language the culture of the language should be incorporated in the learning process of the language (Cummins, 2000). Discussion forum topics on Module 2 Discussion forum topic 3.2 It is possible for an individual to be bilingual and not bicultural. Bilingual is regarded as an individual with the ability to learn and speak two languages. The second language is usually through a process of learning that an individual engages for the purpose of learning the second language. Bicultural or multicultural denotes a process through which an individual is able to embrace two or more cultural orientations of different languages. Culture revolves around an individual’s way of life and how different concepts are assigned different meanings. An individual therefore can learn a second language without necessarily learning the cultural orientation that centres on the language. An individual can learn and speak a second language while maintaining their own or initial cultural orientations and values. Language may be learnt for the purpose of communication and education and not for cultural purposes. It is often argued that language and culture go hand in hand but in many cases an individual may choose to learn a particular language to be regarded as a second language without learning the cultural concepts of the language. For instance immigrants may choose to learn a language to facilitate communication and learning process and therefore need not to get assimilated in the cultural orientation (Heller, 2007). Discussion forum topic 3.4 Bilinguals involve the psychological state in regards to an individual. A bilingual individual has access to more than one linguistic code that they engage in the process of social communication. The level of access varies in a number of various psychological, cognitive and social psychological. Hence when an individual engages in the process of learning another language their identity undergoes various forms of identity transformation. Bilingualism involves multiple aspects of a bilingual identity. Identity is this case denotes the change in emotions, preferences, anxiety, personality and social influences. The process of learning usually comes with a change in identity of an individual. The change of identity is further encompassed in the types of associations or relationships that individuals engage in the process of learning a new language. The process of learning a second language also comes with a sense of belonging whereby the individual feel as part of the community within which the language is being learnt. The change of identity involves the change in the forms and types of communication within which the bilingual engages in. The identity is therefore evident in the forms of communication and personality and emotional preferences that an individual portrays in the process of learning a second language (Romaine, 1994). Discussion forum topics on Module 4 Discussion forum topic 4.4 In most cases children gain the bilingual ability through the use of formal education. Formal education plays an important role in assisting children to attain the ability to learn a second language. For instance children of immigrant parents enrol in schools to learn a second language that would assist them in the process of communication and the process of socialization. Formal education in this sense play a greater role in in assisting children learns a second language. It is through the learning process that children are able to be competent in a particular language. The education system or program needs to be formulated in such a way that it suits the learning needs of children. The learning needs involve the skills and competence in a second language learning process. Bilingual education comes with specific factors that need to be considered in the process of learning. Due to the fact that social groups and individuals possess varied needs, aspirations and resources bilingualism education adopted models such as subtractive and additive model in the education system. Subtractive bilingualism encourages children in formal learning to abandon one language while taking up a dominant language. Additive strategy on the other hand involves prestigious and elite groups. This is whereby the two languages that an individual has learnt are maintained in a formal institution in the process of learning (Li Wei , 2000). References Yip, V., and Matthews, S. (2007). The Bilingual Child. Early Development and Language Contact. Cambridge University press, Cambridge. Romaine, S. (1994). Bilingualism. Blackwell, Oxford. Li Wei (2000). The Bilingualism Reader. Routledge, London. Heller, M. (ed.) (2007). Bilingualism. A Social Approach. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Cummins, J. (2000). Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. 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