Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of selected Latino high school students who have been in either the Structured Immersion Program or the Transitional Bilingual Education Program from kindergarten through grade 2 in terms of: (1) the effects of these two bilingual programs on the students' self-esteem, (2) the effects of being mainstreamed in the Structured Immersion Program, (3) the effects of isolation caused by using the primary language as the instructional vehicle in the Transitional Bilingual Education Program, and (4) the school climate factors of these two bilingual programs which promoted high academic achievement. The parents and the primary teachers of these students were also interviewed so that their perceptions of the two bilingual programs could be described. Methodology. Twelve Latino students from high schools which had bilingual programs representative of Southern California were interviewed. The perceptions of these students about the bilingual program in which they participated were studied to discover what positive components in each of these bilingual programs led to their academic success in English and in school. The parents and primary teachers of these students were also interviewed with this same objective in mind. Findings. This study found that in terms of enhancing bilingual students' self-esteem in the primary grades, the Transitional Bilingual Education Program was more effective than was the Structured Immersion Program. The isolation of Spanish-speaking children from English only speakers was identified as a weakness of the Transitional Bilingual Education Program, but this problem was solved when the children were mainstreamed at the third-grade level. Conclusions. In terms of determining what school climate factors promoted high academic achievement, this study found that parents' expectations, strong, caring teachers, a good sports program, and student involvement in many extracurricular activities all supported high levels of academic achievement. This study also found that the presence of the primary language as an instructional vehicle in the Transitional Bilingual Education Program increased parental involvement in school activities, assisted parents in helping their bilingual children with their homework, and formed partnerships with teachers in giving their children the best quality education possible. Finally, this study found that students achieve proficiency in both English and Spanish when both languages are taught to them in kindergarten through grade 2. Recommendations: The Transitional Bilingual Education Program should be implemented during kindergarten through second grade to increase self-esteem and to foster proficiency in English and Spanish. The Structured Immersion Program should be implemented in grades 3-12 for the bilingual students to gain proficiency in English quickly so that they will not fall behind the academic levels of their peers. Both parents and teachers must realize how important they are to the educational process of high-achieving students, for it is their high expectations which motivate students to excel.