Although bilingual education has been implemented in classrooms for 25 years in the United States, not everyone understands how it works. These results are hard to witness directly. When taught only in English, students may experience frustration at not being able to communicate even their most basic needs to their teachers. At the same time, they are unable to show how smart and ready to learn they are.
Teachers only see that they are unable to complete work at their grade level.
In contrast to this, students in bilingual classes feel comfortable, among familiar surroundings, as they begin to tackle the unfamiliar, the English language. Also, during this early stage of development, students must experience success and learn about what they can do well. Teachers in bilingual classrooms recognize that students know one language and are in the process of learning English. Finally, students continue learning in the home language while they develop their English language skills. This permits continued communication with parents and grandparents who may not know English.