Identify five common myths associated with bilingual education. Discuss why people might believe them, and discuss evidence that refutes the myths.

Myth 1 - Why try something new like bilingual education when the traditional educational system has worked well enough?

Thought because ... BE has been a "buzz word" since Lau vs Nichols in 1974, although the concept has existed since ancient times. Traditional methods are deemed "good enough" by many because of inconsistent research conclusions supporting submersion and ESL. Hakuta also points out letters to the editor of the New York Times where immigrants claim they learned quickly and well by being submerged in English.

Refuted because ... BE is not new. It was used in ancient cultures such as Greece and Rome, where learning a second or third language was scholarly and valued. In the US, wealthy colonists sent their children to school to learn Greek, Latin, and French. Hernandez-Chavez points out that Spanish was used in California until the Monterey Convention in 1855, and in New Mexico until the 1880s. French was taught in the Cleveland public schools in the 1920s. Prior to World War I, there were also German schools in parts of North Dakota, and German instruction for the Pennsylvania Dutch.

The "traditional" (submersion) systems are not good enough. LEP students that are mainstreamed are often not successful, as we can see by looking at data collected over the past ten years. Marking the progress of the university's diverse groups, it is apparent, year after year, that whites have the best grades, followed by Asians, Latinos, Native Americans, and finally, African Americans.

Myth 2 - There is no reason to believe that a child is any better off receiving instruction in his/her first language.

Thought because ... Some look at language as separate from culture, and fail to acknowledge that the child's culture cna be validated by learning in L1. There have also been mixed research outcomes regarding BE programs, leading some to conclude that BE doesn't work, when likely, not enough time has been allowed to pass to adequately assess the BE program.

Refuted because ... Clearly, children will learn when they understand the instruction, and they will learn subject matter and their L2 if they have the support of their L1. McGroarty lists several positives for L1 usage: it legitimizes language, acknowledges the power of community, builds self-esteem, improves academic success. L1 support also gives students pride in their ancestry, if culture is a component of the BE program. Melendez points out that bilingual students have more cognitive flexibility, creativity, and divergent thoughts than their monolingual peers (in Switzerland, Singapore, and Israel).

Myth 3 - Bilingual education causes students to fall behind in achievement.

Thought because ... There is the misperception that things taught in L2 must be retaught in L2. There have been early returns on data that show BE programs less effective than they would be, given enough time to mature.

Refuted because ... As Hakuta says, "There is considerable transfer of skills across languages, so that subject matter taught in one language does not have to be retaught." Programs such as the ESL pull-out model are more guilty of this. In a pull-out program, students miss class time in the regular classroom and are singled out as different when they disappear mysteriously to attend class in the "ESL room."

Myth 4 - The more exposure to English a student is given, the faster and better he/she will learn English.

Thought because ... Many immigrants suffered through submersion and "made it." Researchers Ross and Rossell found that immersion was more effective than BE in six out of seven cases they studied.

Refuted because ... As Krashen notes, there is no support for submersion. Another criticism Krashen has of submersion is that it replaces one language with another, essentially leaving the L1 to wither (subtractive language learning). Ross and Rossell's claim can be refuted as a result of inconsistent research, which included some mislabeled BE programs, and failure to compare like programs.

Myth 5 - Bilingual education programs are too costly.

Thought because ... A special (bilingual) teacher is needed, and perhaps because class sizes are small. Books must be ordered in other languages.

Refuted because ... BE classrooms are self-contained, needing only one teacher. This makes ESL pull-out programs more costly, as two teachers are required. Books should not be an issue, as every class orders books as it is (shouldn't matter that BE books are in another language). In terms of federal funding, BE programs receive approximately one percent of the educational budget, whereas ten percent of the student population is LEP. BE programs also bring in federal dollars. School districts can make money by instituting genuine programs.

The short term costs appear low, yet the long term costs of NOT using a BE program is high, including higher dropout rates, underachievers, underemployment, and low earning citizens that can't contribute as much in terms of tax dollars.