The United States holds a large number of students that are not native English speakers. Although there are many programs in place to allow these students to be further integrated into the English language, many students still fall behind due to the current inflexible system. The current programs in place allow bilingual students to be put up and evaluated by the same standards as native English speakers, which automatically pushes non-English speakers behind from an educational standpoint. Also, there was recently a debate in California that proposed a law that would allow for more dual-language immersion programs for non-native English speakers. Ultimately, California can be looked at as an example for all of the United States because the effects of the proposition are already being taken place. Not only do these programs teach the students in only English, but they also allow for the loss of their own native language. This does not allow the students to gain access to better brain functioning, a more globalized view, increased cultural heritage, and full proficiency. Yet, many people still think that non-native English speaking students should be taught in English and English only. This is mainly because many are unaware of the many benefits bilingualism has to offer and do not think it is worth the investment. 

A large issue that leads many to believe bilingual education programs that teach both languages are not a good investment to the education system is that some non-native English speaking parents are not interested in their children learning their native language in school. The article “Bilingual Education Programs Fail Our Students” is against Proposition 58 in California, which would allow for more dual-language programs for bilingual education. The author, Ron Unz, claimed that many parents want their children to be taught in English in the first place (1). Ultimately, the decision for bilingualism is up to the parents, but it is hard to understand why many parents would be so against the knowledge of two languages. The common argument is that there aren’t good benefits to knowing both if America speaks in mostly English to begin with. Also, another common misconception is that their children will be able to pick up the language on their own at home and be perfectly proficient in the language. If it was more understood that bilingualism can benefit a person in many ways, parents would be more prone to allow for bilingualism in their household. 

Another big issue many have with the implementation of bilingual programs is that it is costly and does not benefit all students. The article by Occupy Theory, “List of Pros and Cons of Bilingual Education,” claims that bilingual education is expensive and is taking money away from the bettering of other educational programs. The author argues that one dominant language program is cheaper (“List” 1). However, this is the main issue with bilingual education that can be solved. The intent of dual-language immersion programs can change to become more flexible towards all students- a program that everyone can gain something from. However, the article also claims that the students should be able to learn English and hold onto their native tongues. Without a program that actively works to improve the student in both languages, it is nearly impossible. As seen with native English speakers who spend years studying a popular language like Spanish throughout their education, they still may be unable to keep with a casual conversation between a native Spanish-speaker. This is not only not considered fluency, but cannot be considered proficient. Overall, the article claims that because bilingual education is expensive and not worth the cost when all students will be unable to benefit from such a program. However, many of the arguments can be solved with a more flexible and usable bilingual program for all students. 

A proposed solution to the issue of bilingual education in the United States would be to implement one program that is flexible enough for all students who do not speak English fluently. This program should allow the students to be able to learn English and maintain their native language at the same time to promote bilingualism. The model for the program should be two-way immersion rather than the English-only model because there are many benefits to becoming bilingual to every person at every age. These include increased global opportunities, increased sense of cultural heritage and cultural identity, and an overall healthier and smarter brain when a person is bilingual. There would also be less concerns about the cost since there would be only one universally flexible program. The issue of cost can be fixed by creating one large and flexible program, rather than small specific programs that work almost in a case-by-case fashion. Overall, this program would be able to solve the issue of cost and would allow the students to know both English and their non-native language.

There are many health benefits that can come from a bilingual brain. In the YouTube video “The benefits of a bilingual brain – Mia Nacamulli” by TED-Ed the speaker claims that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which operates executive function, becomes more efficient when a person is multilingual (“Benefits”). In other words, multilingualism can actually improve brain function and reasoning skills. This means that skills like problem-solving, switching between tasks, and focusing become easier. These reasoning skills are what children are taught throughout their schooling anyways and will only be improved with the knowledge of another language. Another study showed that bilingual programs allow for more successful students due to an enhanced comprehension of math, creativity, and selective retention (Benson 1). These are skills that children can use beyond the classroom and in real life scenarios within their own personal relationships and careers. Not only can they be used beyond the classroom, but they are also skillsets that are trying to be taught in the classroom as well. This is nothing but helpful to all students. Increased brain function is an asset to all people throughout their lifetime. Although English-Only immersion would still allow students to learn English, the students would not be taught in their native language as well. The loss of a bilingual education will also cause the loss of what could be a better functioning brain, but also a lost opportunity to further skills that are taught in the classroom already.

Bilingual education programs that teach students both English and their native language allows to them to maintain their cultural heritage. The article “The Fight for Bilingual Education Programs in the U.S.” by John Benson makes the argument that bilingual education programs allows the students to keep their cultural heritage. When students are taught English-Only and no longer keep up with their native language in the schooling system they lose the ability to speak to family members in their native language (Benson 1). In other words, students who aren’t taught both languages lose part of their cultural heritage since they are no longer to communicate to their grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles in their native language. Not only that, but if their relatives don’t know English, then all communication is lost. It also goes along with the argument that language is a part of your cultural identity. If students are not taught to be bilingual, they risk the ability to communicate with their relatives and a large part of their cultural heritage and identity.

However, one may think that if the parents should be the ones to teach their native language to their children. Although this would partially help with the ability to communicate between family members and relatives, the child will not necessarily be considered fully “bilingual,” which is the main aspect that these dual-language programs are trying to fix. This is because when a child learns the vocabulary from a parents, they are not terms that would the child will be able to carry over to a professional setting. For example, in classrooms students learn about subjects such as economics, mathematics, and science. Bensen claims that when a student is sent to school to learn only English, they can deny themselves career opportunities (1). If the student does not know these terms in both English and their native language, the student can no longer be considered fully bilingual. This is also a large problem in the foreign language department in America for native English speakers learning French or Spanish. A couple semesters of French could barely get a student to be able to order dinner and locate a building, much less hold a full business meeting. The same can go for a non-native English speaker who is only learning English in school. All along they could have been working on becoming proficient in both languages, but due to the English-only education system, they lose that opportunity. Even if the student relied on what they learn from their parents in their native language, they still would not be able to be completely fluent in that language. A Bilingual education program that allows for the student to be proficient in both their English and non-native language will allow the student more career opportunities as well. 

Bilingualism can take a person far in the current globalized world and job opportunities. The article “Reviving an American Tradition” by Claude Goldenberg and Kristin Wagner claims that bilingual education is a necessity in the United States. Not only did the article mention that the bilingual education programs were more proficient in English than students in all-English programs, but they also claimed that the students were more likely to be proficient in English than students in English-only programs (Goldenberg and Wagner 1). Not only does bilingual education programs allow for proficiency in both English and the student’s non-English language, but it also provides for better fluency in English. Not only that but there is a large economic benefit that everyone can benefit from due to more citizens being fluent in other languages. The world becomes more globalized every day and issues are looked at an international standpoint in careers now. Bension claimed that these skills are needed in places like California, the southwest, and some parts of Florida.  If a student is not taught to be bilingual, they lose their literacy and can no longer contribute to these areas. Overall, bilingualism can help inside and outside of America. With a better understanding of English and a whole new language, these students can help Americans to have a more global attitude towards everyday things.

Another one of the faults in the current system is that all students are put up to the same standards. In the article “Teaching Emerging Students: Flexible Approaches in an Era of New Standards” by Patrick Proctor et al, the authors claim that there is clear evidence that the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) were not well developed for emerging bilingual speakers (xiii). Students who speak a different language at home than they do at school are put up to an unfair disadvantage. Thus, the Common Core system of education causes bilingual students to fall behind just because they are not native English speakers. The authors even claim that there is clear evidence that the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) were not well developed with emerging bilingual speakers in mind (Proctor et al. xiii). The problem is that all students have to be up to par by each states’ educational standards. However, these bilingual students do not know English as well as the other speakers. Proctor et al. claim that the language demands are particularly brutal for emergent bilingual students and their teachers (xiii). Children who grew up with English as their native tongue are bound to meet the standards more easily and do better overall than the students’ who speak a different language at home. Overall, the authors argue that there should not be one standard for every student when every student has a different educational situation. They argue that even though there are programs to better help the immersion of these students’ they are not flexible enough for every case. In other words, the instructional approaches should change with the differing linguistic and cultural characteristics of emerging bilingual students across America (Proctor et al. xiv). Thus, the authors argue that the common core methods in America put emergent bilingual children to a disadvantage in the classroom and that there should be more flexible ways of helping these children. Since it is obvious that the current system puts some to a disadvantage, there needs to be a change.

Although America for the most part speaks English in its businesses, careers, restaurants, etc., there are still many benefits of becoming bilingual that can overall improve a person’s career, brain function, and even the US economy. One flexible program can allow all students to benefit from the same program, which will help in terms of cost. The spread of globalization across the world will also allow others to see the importance of knowing more than just English. A dual-language program is what should be taught in America’s schooling system. This one program can benefit all students because it will allow them to be proficient in both English- important to know in America, and their non-native language; which is important to their cultural heritage, future careers and even brain function.