Multilingualism and Bilingual education

 1.Multilingaulism and bilingualism.

The terms bilingual and multilingual are widely used to refer to individuals who have obtained the ability to use more than one language. Multilanguage users are defined as individuals who obtain communicative competence in more than one language, with various degrees of proficiencies, in oral and/or written forms, in order to interact with speakers of one or more languages in a given society. One type of multilanguage user uses two languages and is referred to as 'bilingual', while 'multilingual' describes users proficient in more than two languages, such as trilingual, quadrilingual, and others. Multilingualism is widespread, with approximately 65% of the population being bilingual or multilingual. Throughout human history, speaking multiple languages was far more commonplace.

2.My personal experience.

My interest in studying multilingualism and bilingual education sparked from raising my four sons, who are bilingual. They were born and educated in the USA, and upon our return to Estonia, they began learning Estonian while maintaining Russian as our native language. Observing their language practices stirred confusion and concern within me; they didn't speak English or Russian flawlessly but often mixed the languages. I questioned whether this indicated a lack of proficiency in either language. At that time, I wasn't familiar with the term "code-switching."

During my master's program, I was assigned to watch a TED Talk presented by linguist Professor Kim Potowski, delving into issues surrounding bilingual education and multilingualism within families. Watching her presentation provided clarity to many of the queries I had.

3. Summary and reflection on "No child left monolingual."

In the TED Talk, "No Child Left Monolingual" by linguist Kim Potowski, the discussion revolves around multilingualism, language ideologies, and their intersection with immigration in the USA, particularly focusing on bilingual transitional programs for immigrant children. Potowski challenges two prevailing myths: the societal and individual damage caused by multilingualism.

She begins by examining the status of immigrant heritage languages. A typical picture unfolds as follows:

1.   First Generation (immigrants from a foreign country) usually tend to be monolingual in their heritage language.

2.   Second Generation (children of immigrants) typically become bilingual, although English predominates due to school attendance.

3.   Third Generation (grandchildren of immigrants) presents three scenarios: Group A develops proficiency in their heritage language, Group B, though receptive bilinguals, struggle to speak it fluently, and Group C exhibits zero proficiency. This progression is termed "generation shift," leading to communication challenges between grandchildren and their parents.

This raises crucial questions posed by the professor: Do we truly wish to evolve into a monolingual nation?

Professor Potowski evaluates various educational programs in American schools: English-only immersion, bilingual programs (25% heritage language, 75% English), and two-way immersion (90% heritage language in early grades). Her analysis reveals that students receiving more instruction in their heritage language outperform their peers in bilingual or full-immersion classes in all subjects. She emphasizes that stronger instruction in the heritage language correlates with better performance in English.

In conclusion, Potowski dispels myths: bilingualism doesn't harm society, and abandoning the home language doesn't accelerate English learning.

In other words, bilingualism is absolutely an advantage both to individuals and to society.

Estonia has a governmental trend towards fostering a monolingual society and promoting monolingual education in the Estonian language. I anticipate significant challenges associated with this initiative. Firstly, there is a possibility of increased anxiety among students who do not have a basic understanding of the Estonian language.

Secondly, I foresee a significant knowledge gap in academic achievement between those who speak Estonian as their first language and those who must understand content and instructions in a foreign language.

I would propose that our educational authorities consider examining the educational models used in the US education system, evaluating the outcomes of these programs, and making decisions based on such evaluations.

The final question I would suggest our educational authorities ask themselves is:

“Do we really want to be a monolingual society, or do we aim to be an Estonian-plus country?"