Dual Language Programs in the United States: What Parents Should Know
5-minute read
Across the United States, more families are looking for opportunities for their children to become bilingual and biliterate. For some families, dual language education provides an opportunity to maintain a language already spoken at home. For others, it gives children the chance to learn an entirely new language while completing the same academic subjects as their peers.
But what exactly is a dual language program? And how is it different from simply taking a language class?
Dual language education is designed to make two languages part of a child's everyday education.
What Is a Dual Language Program?
In a dual language program, students learn academic content and literacy through English and another language, often called the partner language.
Spanish is widely used in U.S. dual language programs, but schools across the country also offer programs in languages such as Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic, Korean, and others.
Instead of learning another language for 30 or 45 minutes a few times each week, students actually learn through that language.
A child might learn math in Spanish, for example, and then study another subject in English.
The goal is not simply exposure to another language. High quality dual language programs generally work toward three major outcomes:
Bilingualism and biliteracy
Strong academic achievement
Sociocultural competence and cross-cultural understanding
Students are learning another language while continuing to develop academically.
One-Way and Two-Way Dual Language Programs
Not every dual language program looks the same.
One common model is two-way immersion.
Two-way programs bring together students who speak English and students who speak the partner language. Ideally, both groups have opportunities to serve as language models for one another.
For example, a Spanish-English classroom might include children who primarily speak Spanish at home alongside children who primarily speak English.
There are also one-way dual language programs, which generally serve students who share the same home or heritage language while developing proficiency and literacy in both that language and English.
Both approaches share an important philosophy:
Learning English does not have to mean losing another language.
Instead, students can continue developing one language while adding another.
What Do 50/50 and 90/10 Mean?
Parents researching dual language schools often encounter terms such as 50/50 and 90/10.
These numbers describe approximately how much instructional time students receive in each language.
In a 50/50 model, approximately half of instruction occurs in English and half in the partner language.
In a 90/10 model, children may begin the early grades receiving approximately 90 percent of instruction in the partner language and 10 percent in English. The amount of English instruction gradually increases until students eventually receive approximately equal instructional time in both languages.
The specific way schools divide languages can vary considerably. Schools may separate languages by teacher, subject, part of the day, or another carefully planned structure.
Neither model should simply be viewed as "more English" versus "less English." The larger question is whether the school has a strong, well-designed program that intentionally develops academic proficiency in both languages over several years.
Dual Language Education Is a Long-Term Commitment
One of the most important things for parents to understand is that becoming bilingual and biliterate takes time.
Dual language education is not designed to produce immediate results after a few months or even a single school year.
Strong programs typically begin in the early elementary grades and continue for multiple years. The Center for Applied Linguistics notes that dual language programs commonly begin in Kindergarten or first grade and are designed to continue for at least five years.
This long-term approach matters because children aren't simply learning conversational phrases.
They are learning how to read, write, think, discuss, solve problems, and understand academic concepts in two languages.
That takes time.
Will Learning in Two Languages Confuse My Child?
This is one of the most common concerns parents have about bilingual education.
Children learning two languages may occasionally mix languages, use a word from one language while speaking another, or appear stronger in one language depending on the situation.
These behaviors are normal parts of bilingual language development.
Research reviewed by the National Academies found no evidence that using two languages confuses children or puts the development of either language at risk.
In fact, a child's abilities should be considered across both languages rather than expecting the child to behave like two monolingual children at the same time.
What About Reading and Academic Achievement?
Parents sometimes worry that spending part of the school day learning in another language means their child will fall behind academically.
A well-designed dual language program does not replace academics with language instruction.
The language is the vehicle through which academics are taught.
Children still learn mathematics, science, social studies, literacy, and other grade-level content. They are simply developing that knowledge across two languages.
Research on dual language education has found promising academic outcomes, particularly when programs are well implemented and students remain in them over time.
However, parents should remember that the words "dual language" alone do not guarantee a high-quality program.
Teacher preparation, curriculum, school leadership, appropriate materials, consistency between grade levels, and sufficient exposure to both languages all matter.
The Importance of the Home Language
Dual language education can be especially meaningful for children who already speak another language at home.
Historically, some families were encouraged to stop speaking their home language so their children could concentrate on English.
Today, research provides strong reasons to value and maintain children's home languages.
A child's first language is connected to family, culture, identity, communication, and learning.
Maintaining Spanish, for example, may allow a child to communicate more deeply with grandparents and extended family while also developing the academic Spanish necessary to read and write at increasingly sophisticated levels.
Bilingual education does not have to ask children to choose between languages.
It can teach them to value both.
What Should Parents Look for in a Dual Language Program?
If you are considering a dual language school for your child, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Find out:
How much of the school day is taught in each language?
Is the program 50/50, 90/10, or another model?
How many years does the program continue?
How are reading and writing taught in both languages?
Are teachers trained in bilingual or dual language education?
How does the school support students who enter with different levels of proficiency?
How does the school measure progress in both languages?
How are families encouraged to support both languages at home?
Most importantly, ask about the program's long-term goals for students.
A strong dual language program should be able to explain how children will develop academically while working toward meaningful proficiency and literacy in both languages.
How Parents Can Help at Home
Parents play an important role even when they don't speak both languages themselves.
Read with your child. Encourage conversations. Visit the library. Listen to music and stories in both languages. Celebrate your child's progress instead of expecting perfection.
If Spanish is your family's home language, continue speaking Spanish.
Children receive enormous value from meaningful conversations with parents, grandparents, siblings, and relatives.
And if you don't speak your child's partner language, you can still show enthusiasm for it.
Ask your child to teach you a new word.
Let them read a simple book to you.
Celebrate when they recognize something in another language.
Showing children that both languages are valuable can be just as important as practicing vocabulary.
Final Thoughts
Dual language education represents something bigger than simply teaching children another language.
At its best, it gives children the opportunity to become academically successful in two languages while learning to appreciate the cultures, experiences, and perspectives of people around them.
For children who already speak another language at home, it can send an especially powerful message:
Your language is not something you have to leave at the schoolhouse door. It is an asset you can continue to develop.
And for children learning a new language, dual language education can open a door to communication, culture, relationships, and opportunities that may remain with them for the rest of their lives.
At Brilla Bilingual Education, we believe bilingualism is an asset and that families deserve clear, accessible information to help them make informed educational decisions for their children.
Sources & Further Reading
U.S. Department of Education — National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA)
Dual Language and Two-Way Immersion Programs
U.S. Department of Education — Office of English Language Acquisition / NCELA
Dual Language Immersion Project Playbook
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures (2017)
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
Dual Language Education: Answers to Questions From the Field
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition
Dual Language Learning Programs and English Learners
