{"id":1838,"date":"2012-04-04T23:43:40","date_gmt":"2012-04-05T03:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/edreform\/?p=1838"},"modified":"2013-04-01T17:50:50","modified_gmt":"2013-04-01T21:50:50","slug":"research-proposal-bilingualism-two-way-immersion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/edreform\/2012\/04\/research-proposal-bilingualism-two-way-immersion\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Proposal – Bilingualism: two-way immersion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Research Question<\/strong>: What are the long-term effects of two-way bilingual immersion programs and how have schools implemented different variations of the model?<\/em><\/p>\n

Relevance: <\/strong>Bilingual education is a controversial topic in the field of education. Today, schools are flooded with students that have limited English proficiency. In many cases, these students receive little assistance from schools when learning English and are forced lose a part of their heritage when their primary language is suppressed. Two-way bilingual immersion programs integrate native English speakers and native speakers of a different language for academic instruction through both languages. Unlike ESL where only language minority students are learning the dominant language, the programs designed by this model are options that benefit both language minority and language majority students. I am interested in researching what are the long-term effects and how do individual programs in different schools implement this model in their curriculum. Although studies have been conducted that examine the effectiveness of this model, many two-way immersion practitioners struggle with which approaches that are most beneficial. This topic sparked my interest because although I am bilingual, in my opinion bilingualism is looked down upon. I believe implementing bilingual education using the two-way immersion model in school\u2019s curriculum will help produce better citizens for our society.<\/p>\n

Research Strategy<\/strong> The main component of my research strategy was using two online databases: Google Scholar and Trinity Online Resources. First, I began my search using Google Scholar. I searched phrases such as \u201ctwo-way immersion\u201d and \u201ctwo-way immersion bilingual program.\u201d While reading the abstract of several articles, I decided it will be helpful to use articles that discussed the two-way immersion model itself so that I can get a better understanding of it and its goals. Then, I began to come across articles that focused on individual programs designed using this model which inspired me to look at a variety programs in different contexts and compare and contrast their approaches. When using Trinity Online Resources, I searched the same phrases in addition to \u201ctwo-way immersion AND kindergarten,\u201d \u201ctwo-way immersion AND elementary,\u201d \u201ctwo-way immersion AND history,\u201d and \u201ctwo-way immersion AND change.\u201d Searching these phrases gave me limited or no resources to look at. \u00a0Using Trinity Online Resources, I came across the book Realizing the Vision of Two-Way Immersion: Fostering Effective Programs and Classrooms.<\/em> Because I am interested in using this book, I clicked on a link which directed me to the Center for Applied Linguistics and there found another potential source, Profiles in Two-Way Immersion Education.<\/em> On the website, access to both books requires a fee and Trinity College does not have a copy in the library. If these sources are appropriate for my research, are there any other ways to have access to these books?<\/p>\n

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Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alan\u00eds, Iliana. \u201cA Texas Two-way Bilingual Program: Its Effects on Linguistic and Academic Achievement.\u201d Bilingual Research Journal<\/em> 24, no. 3 (2000): 225\u2013248.<\/p>\n