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 immersed 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 evaluated academically by the same standards as native English speakers. These standards, such as Common Core, automatically push non-English speakers behind from an educational standpoint. Not only do these programs teach the students in only English, but they also allow for the loss of their own native language. A program like dual language immersion would allow for the students to gain access to better brain functioning, better career opportunities, a more globalized world-view, increased cultural identity, and full proficiency in more than one language. However, many people still think that non-native English speaking students should be taught through the English-only immersion system. This is mainly because many are unaware of the many benefits bilingualism has to offer and do not think it is worth the investment. 

The English-only instructional method is popular because many believe bilingualism is not a good investment to the education system and that some parents are not interested in their children learning in their native language at school. The article “Bilingual Education Programs Fail Our Students” is against dual-language immersion programs for bilingual education. The author claimed that many parents want their children to be taught in English in the first place (Unz). Ultimately, the decision for bilingualism is up to the parents. The common argument is that there are not enough benefits to fluency in both languages if America speaks mostly English to begin with. Another common misconception is that children will be able to pick up a non-English language at home and will still become bilingual. There is a large difference between knowing how to speak to your relatives in Spanish, and knowing how to conduct a full business meeting in Spanish. 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 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”). However, the dual-language immersion program is flexible towards all students. This program allows both native English speakers and non-native English speakers proficiency in more than one language. 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 not considered proficiency. Overall, the article claims that because bilingual education is expensive and not worth the overall cost. However, with the implementation of the dual-language immersion program, it can reduce cost because it only one flexible program and will benefit 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 dual language immersion rather than the English-only model because there are many benefits to becoming bilingual to every person. The article “The Fight for Bilingual Education Programs in The U.S.,” claims that “the goal is to give students education in all core areas in both languages – acquiring English and maintaining the home language if you’re an immigrant student or acquiring the second language and maintaining English if you’re U.S. born” (Benson). Benefits from proficiency in more than one language include increased global opportunities, increased sense of 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 that can benefit native English speakers as well. Overall, the dual-language immersion program would be able to solve the issue of cost and would allow the students to know both English and a foreign language or a maintained native language.

Since the English-only program does not allow for bilingualism, a student can miss out on many cognitive benefits. In the YouTube video “The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain” by TED-Ed, Mia Nacamulli claims that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which operates the executive function of the brain, becomes more efficient when a person speaks more than one language (“Benefits”). In other words, bilingualism can actually improve the brain’s functioning and reasoning skills. This means that skills like problem-solving, switching between tasks, and focusing become easier. Another study showed that bilingual programs allow for more successful students due to an enhanced comprehension of math, creativity, and selective retention (Benson). These are skills that children can use beyond the classroom and in real life scenarios within their own personal relationships and careers. Increased brain function is an asset to all people throughout their lifetime. Although English-Only immersion would still teach students English, the students would not be taught in their native language as well. The English-Only system does not allow for the many cognitive benefits that the dual language immersion system can.

The English-Only education system puts non-native English speakers at risk to no longer be considered bilingual or fluent. Already if students do not learn the language at school, they will not be considered fully bilingual and can ultimately lose all the benefits that can come from bilingualism. In the average schooling system, students do not begin to pick up another language until high school. So, students who are in the English-only education system would not be able to learn in their native language until high school. Moreover, a person can get less benefits as they get older when they learn a language (Benson). Even though the student may begin to learn the language in high school, the student will not necessarily be considered fully bilingual. There is a certain point in time called the critical period where a person loses the ability to easily learn a language. The textbook, Language Files: Materials for an Introduction to Language and Linguistics, claims that “the critical period for language acquisition is assumed to extend from birth to approximately the onset of puberty” (315). The dual-language immersion program allows students to learn their native language in the classroom to allow for the needed acquisition. This will allow the student to be immersed in their non-English language during the critical period for learning a language. However, language acquisition is a problem for students who are Native-English speakers as well. For example, if a student were to take a couple semesters of French in high school, they aren’t necessarily able to hold a full business meeting or possibly even order dinner.  If students were in an English-only education system, they lose the opportunity to become proficient in both languages at a young age. Since students are not able to take a second language until high school or to learn the language used at home in an educational setting, complete fluency can be lost. 

When a person is considered to be bilingual, they are prone to gain economic benefits with an increase in career opportunities. The article “Reviving an American Tradition” by Claude Goldenberg and Kristin Wagner claims that bilingual education is a necessity in the United States. In fact, a study found that “fluent bilingualism is associated with a decreased likelihood of dropping out of high school and an increased probability of obtaining a higher status job and higher annual earnings” (Goldenberg and Wagner). Those who are considered to be completely fluent in two or more languages are more likely to graduate high school and get a better job. Another study found that those who are not proficient in their home language can lose between $2,100 and $3,300 in annual income (Goldenberg and Wagner). This goes to show how important bilingualism in America is becoming. If a person is not able to be educated in both languages, they lose the ability to become bilingual. This in turn can cause a loss in job opportunities and pay. In many areas, a person can be expected to be at least proficient in another language like Spanish. These skills are needed in places like California, the southwest, and some parts of Florida (Benson).  If a student is not taught to be bilingual, they lose their literacy and can no longer contribute to these areas. This is because there are many areas in America where most people are only fluent in Spanish. Bilingualism opens a person up to more job opportunities and possibly a greater pay. Since the English-Only education system does not allow for bilingualism in students, students are not able to have the benefit of greater career opportunities.

The dual-language immersion program allows students to know more than one language, which will overall help the United States as a whole with the issue of globalization. Bilingualism can take a person far in the current globalized world and job opportunities. The world becomes more globalized every day and issues are looked at an international standpoint in careers now. The article “Bilingual Education in the United States: A Historical Overview and Examination of Two-Way Immersion,” claims that the United States must adopt a new philosophy of teaching all children a second language, not just those students who seek for a foreign language course (Kim et al. 248). One of the issues many have against the implementation of a bilingual education program is that it would be costly and would not benefit all students. However, not only would the dual language program allow all students to be prepared for a more globalized job market, but also it will help the United States concern with the competition for these jobs. With an increase of students that have the ability to speak another language, the United States will overall be able to take on more international careers without relying on others from abroad. Careers that involve international relations like international business will be able to have a better relationship with other businesses abroad. The knowledge of a businesses’ language can go a long way. With a better understanding of English and a whole new language, these students can help Americans be less concerned with the increasingly globalized job market and economy because more Americans will be able to compete with their global competitors. Dual-language immersion will not only benefit all students regardless of their native language, but also will benefit the United States with an increase of Americans that are able to compete for more internationally-focused careers.

Since dual language immersion programs teach students both English and their native language, the students are able to maintain a part of their cultural identity through their native language. Benson makes the argument that bilingual education programs allows the students to keep their cultural identity. It is important to allow people the ability to maintain cultural identity.  Cultural identity is a part of every person’s own personal identity. When students are taught through English-Only education method and no longer keep up with their native language in the schooling system, they lose the ability to speak to family members (Benson). In other words, students who aren’t taught both languages lose part of their cultural identity since they are no longer able to communicate to their grandparents, parents, or other family members in their native language. If their relatives don’t know English, then all communication is lost. If students are not taught to be bilingual, the ability to communicate with their relatives and a large part of their cultural identity is put at risk.

Overall, one of the main faults of 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. The Common Core system of education causes bilingual students to fall behind solely because they are not Native-English speakers. 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. 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. This is because they are surrounded by parents who speak fluent English, while non-native English speakers are raised by parents who picked up English after the critical period. 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 a better way 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. The spread of globalization across the world will also allow others to see the importance of knowing more than just English. Moreover, the problem concerning the Common Core standards in the United States would see better overall results from non-native English speakers since dual language immersion is proven to help students with English overall. The dual-language immersion program can allow all students to benefit from the same program, which will help in terms of cost. 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.
