Misinformation stifling bilingual programs, expert says

Brian D. Rothschild Arizona Daily Wildcat Stephen Krashen, an education professor at the University of Southern California and bilingual education expert, speaks to 300 people in the Education building's Kiva Auditorium last night. Krashen said misinformation is to blame for biligual eds' unpopularity.

"The press has given the anti-bilingual education campaign a free ride," said Stephen Krashen, an education professor at the University of Southern California and author on bilingual education.

Speaking to 300 people in the Education building's Kiva Auditorium, Krashen said stories from mainstream media have shown that 55 percent of the public is against bilingual education while professional journals have indicated an 85 percent approval rating of the program.

He said the reason behind the discrepancy may be a "completely paranoid conspiracy theory."

But added, it's "probably true."

In Arizona, a measure now in the state Legislature would make bilingual education illegal in the state four years from now.

In California, voters will decide in June whether to require English-only education.

Low achievement in California's schools has nothing to do with bilingual education, although it has been blamed, Krashen said. Many studies have targeted bilingual education as the reason for higher drop out rates among Hispanics, but Krashen said the numbers are misleading because they include people 16 to 24 years old who came from Mexico to work and never attended school.

He said economic factors were why a majority had dropped out.

"Language has nothing to do with drop outs," Krashen said. "The drop out argument is 100 percent bogus."

California school libraries are last in the nation for the number of books per child at 13, while Los Angeles schools are at three books per child, he said.

Contrary to opponents' beliefs, bilingual education fosters faster learning of English, Krashen said.

By teaching students core subjects first in their primary language, English becomes more comprehensible because it gives a "knowledge of the world" for the student to use when learning, he said.

The background knowledge of a subject given to the student in his primary language makes it easier for the student to understand the information when they hear it for the first time in English, Krashen said.

Research has also shown students with strong reading skills in their native tongue make the transition to English much easier, he said.

"This is America. We speak English and our children should speak English," Krashen said. "I'm not in favor of a Spanish-speaking Arizona."

"When done right," he said, "bilingual education is the best thing" to accomplish that goal.

Krashen said "the gradual exit plan" used by the Tucson Unified School District is the most effective method because it gradually introduces students to English rather than forcing the language to them like concurrent translation does.

"Our whole education system is based on the speed of learning," he said, adding that grade levels are arbitrary and do not make sense.

"It takes time (to learn English)," he said. "Passing laws won't make it any faster."

Krashen said bilingual education could also impact international students who come to the United States later during their academic career.

Giving international students some instruction in their primary language would help ease the transition, he said.

"I think it 's a wonderful idea," Krashen said. "The economic future of American universities is with international students."

He said they provide diversity and a cosmopolitan atmosphere to U.S. colleges.

"We should do everything we can to help them."