Ramifications fo California's Proposition 227: Emotinal and Academic Effects on California's Primary School English Language Learners
There has been much controversy about the topic of bilingual education across the nation and how bilingual education hinders or helps English language learners. In 1998 California passed an education policy that eliminated bilingual education for English language learners (ELL) and replaced the entire pedagogical process with a one- year immersion program for ELL. Research relating to children acquiring a second language indicates that it is a process that requires learning in the primary language over a period of approximately five years in order to achieve fluency in both languages and achieve academic success as a bilingual individual. The theories and previous research conducted about second language acquisition does not match the motivations behind Proposition 227 attempt to benefit English Language learners. The policy does not appear to be honoring the pedagogical process that is needed for California’s ELL students to achieve academic success.
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