| April Linton
University of Washington
Spanish for Americans? The dual-language option in U.S. public schools
FINAL REPORT:
This dissertation addresses the tension between multiculturalism and national unity within the context of language usage. Will moves to promote bilingualism and dual-language school programs lead to a fragmented society? Under what circumstances might bilingualism and American identity be compatible? The dissertation first documents the role that language has played in national identity formation and, in turn, how beliefs about what it means to be American have shaped school policies relative to second language learning and the education of immigrant children. Then, using the Census, NCES, and other data sources, I develop and quantitatively test models of the macro- and micro-level contexts that influence the level of bilingualism among Hispanic adults and the adoption of Spanish-English dual-language programs in public schools. The latter is one of several indicators of a more generalized valuation of bilingualism that extends beyond Hispanics and Hispanic communities. Qualitative case studies in Chicago and the Los Angeles area augment the research by helping explain the social and political aspects of linguistic choice and school policy decisions.
I find that English-speaking Hispanics are much more likely to maintain Spanish in places where there is an influx of Hispanic immigrants, bilinguals have high status, and Hispanics have political power. Non-Hispanics' demand for Spanish fluency does not appear to correspond to the incentive structure for Spanish maintenance. Rather, it reflects an understanding of extant changes in the global economy and US demographics.
Of note is that dual-language programs can be viable in diverse urban settings. My research indicates that these programs can work in neighborhood schools that serve poor students as well as in elite magnet schools, and that their potential benefits extend far beyond the realm of language. For the children of immigrants, dual-language classrooms facilitate what Portes and Rumbaut call "selective acculturation" -- a scenario in which characteristics of U.S. society augment, rather than replace, characteristics of the sending society. Selective acculturation encourages the maintenance of ethnic networks and strong communities, which support children as they learn to deal with prejudice, navigate the education system, and find a place in the labor market. The most prominent outcome is upward mobility combined with bilingualism and biculturalism. The story is similar for native English-speaking children who would typically be deemed "at risk."
Though the U.S. is not presently moving toward a bilingual norm, this dissertation provides evidence that (1) under certain circumstances, Spanish-English bilingualism has become a compatible and stable part of what it means to be an American; and (2) dual-language programs offer students more options than those traditionally available in mainstream U.S. schools, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or background. Because they elevate the status of minority languages and speakers of those languages in the community, school programs that promote bilingualism for all students can be a force for social change that reaches beyond the classrooms or schools where they exist.
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