Video Debate Out of Class Assignment

Roles

·​ E
​ nglish Only

o​ M
​ egan Houlihan

o​ K
​ atie Roughan

·​ B
​ ilingual Education

o​ A
​ lex Altier

o​ C
​ hristina Rombousek

·​ M
​ oderator

o​ S
​ arah McCormick

Bilingual Education

·​ P
​ ros

o​ S
​ tays in the child’s comfort zone

o​ ​Validates their culture and helps to make them feel like it’s an adjustment and
not as though we are trying to change something about them (their language)

o​ C
​ an focus on learning content rather than learning a new language

·​ C
​ ons

o​ T
​ akes longer for the child to become fluent in English

o​ C
​ ould potentially segregate the English learner from their peers

o​ M
​ ore costly and unqualified teachers

·​ K
​ ey Points

● Creates more cultural opportunities

● Bilingual education can strengthen the executive function of the brain
(bilingualkidspot.com)
● Broadens career opportunities
English Only

·​ P
​ ros

o​ H
​ elps with classroom management

o​ H
​ elps them learn real life English, not just academic vocabulary in English

o​ ​More cost efficient for schools because a translator and/or additional teacher
would not be required

·​ C
​ ons

o​ O
​ utside of the child’s comfort zone

o​ S
​ trips them of their culture

o​ ​Focuses on learning a new language rather than the student learning the
education content

·​ K
​ ey Points

● Children are more likely to intermingle with each other leading to a well rounded
perspectives (education.findlaw)
● English-only instruction helps students to learn English more effectively than
bilingual education programs. (education.findlaw)
● More cost effective for the school district

Cross-Examination Questions

·​ E
​ nglish Only question for Bilingual Education

● Does letting students still speak their native language fully allow them to become
proficient in English?
● sIs the cost of a bilingual education worth it? Is there specific evidence that
shows a bilingual education is that much more efficient than English Only
approach?
● How do you know the teacher(s) are properly qualified to teach English
Language Learners?

·​ B
​ ilingual Education question for English Only
 ● How exactly does using an English Only approach help improve classroom
management?
● Is there evidence of students having higher success rates in a [restrictive] English
only environment?
● How does an English only education incorporate their (an English language
learner’s) culture into their learning/education? How would this address the
multicultural approach?

Closing Argument

Bilingual Education
● Allows students to be culturally aware and comfortable in their educational environment.
● Opens up career opportunities in the future
● The student(s) can focus on the academic content and not learning a new language

English Only
● Allows teachers to manage his or her classroom more efficiently.
● Allow schools to spend their money in ways that can benefit all of the students.
● Helps students assimilate into a predominantly english society.