Linguistic Issues Monolingualism valued Bilingualism valued The United States is a monolingual nation. We must remain an English speaking nation in order to be united as one people. English is the language of opportunity in the world today. People all over the world are learning English so they can enjoy economic and social opportunities. The earlier the better The age range for acquiring bilingual proficiency spans throughout the elementary school years Young children learn English more quickly and easily.
Language learning becomes more difficult as children get older.
California's Demographic Challenges Cross-generation and recent immigrant conflicts Degrees of bicultural affirmation and identity Previous generations of immigrants have assimilated and most have abandoned the language of their country of origin. There is a critical shortage of bilingual teachers. Our public schools have always been a vehicle for assimilating new immigrants. History of Bilingual Education Valeria G. v. A second language is acquired quickly and easily when the L2 learner is not allowed to depend on his or her first language Oral proficiency in L2 is the basis for further learning.