Bilingual Education in the US: English as a Second Language for Hispanic Children in School

Scientific Essay from the year 2008 in the subject English - Applied Geography, grade: 1,7, Free University of Berlin, course: Oral and Writing Skills, language: English, abstract: On the introductory historical basis, the role of bilingual education, with focus on English as a second language for Hispanic children in school, will be presented in this paper. After a theoretical introduction, I examine the arguments for and against the bilingual education by balancing previous research on this issue. Then I will analyze the problems in this field and the language legislation in the US. For a better understanding of the importance of bilingualism in the US, I will refer to the interest groups, the differences between the states, and to the issue of identity. To conclude, I will focus on English and Spanish as world languages and try an outlook on the future of the multicultural US.