subject: Why Does Bilingual Education Always Attract Heated Discussion? [print this page] This long standing discussion is understandable because both parties, the one going for bilingual education and the other party who prefers monolingual education, are pointing out certain correct matters to attend to.
Those who prefer monolingual education especially in the primary level of education wants to be certain that the children are well versed in their native tongue. They want to avoid confusion in the minds of the children in terms of certain facts, truths and even life realities.
Our language greatly shapes our frame of mind. Thats why the proponents of monolingualism are so intent in keeping the native dialect a priority in their own country. They use it in teaching their children of other subject matters. They do not want their children to forget the very culture of their nation. And that is understandable and noble, in fact.
However, the proponents of bilingualism believe that the mind of a person, especially the children, is capable of absorbing different information without confusing things too often. They even believe that learning more than one language allows a person to widen his perspective and learn more about the culture of the other language as well as life in general.
Bilinguals are capable of communicating with more than one group of people who employ different languages. This allows him to understand not only the language but also the ways and means of the people who use it as a native language. This learning does not totally confirm the fact that the bilingual will forget his own language and the rest of his native culture.
One of the studies about bilingualism even points out that, children who are established in their learning of their native language will be more able to understand the second language being taught him. This is anchored on the idea that people learn their language by first reading it. Once he knows the basic concepts by understanding what he read, he will be able to learn more and even share it to other people.
If you still find yourself against bilingualism, think hard why you are against it. Who knows, you can change your mind by doing so including that of the people around you. Bilingualism has always been in the losing end because of stark misunderstanding on the concept and the rest of the aspects behind it. But once you know it well, especially the benefits of bilingualism, Im sure that you yourself will learn it and bring your children to do so as well.
Bilingualism may seem confusing at first. But once you get its basics, it will come to you like a breeze. Regardless of your age and mine, we will still be able to learn more language than one.
