Literature Review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Literature Review - Research Paper Example Baker (2011) asserted that the English immersion model avoids the dominant language of the learner while the transitional bilingual model focuses on English as a target language through integrating the limited level of support and instructions to the native language. Walker (1956) asserts that developmental bilingual model approach ensures teachers work with students at their current levels of native languages while at the same time providing the instructions in English so that students can finally attain fluency in English language. According to 2004 statistics, American public schools had 11 million immigrant children and about 5.5 million either did not speak English or had limited English proficiency (Baker, 2011). According to 2007 statistics by Education Weekly, more than 30 percent of English language learners in big states such as New York, Texas and California demonstrated slow progress in learning and this accounted for the high achievement gap (Garcia & Baker, 2007). Bilin gual education in the US focuses on the English language learners and it starts with enabling the students develop the native language literacy first and then transferring the skills to learning English (Baker, 2011). Some experts argue that monolingual and bilingual language acquisition is similar since children growing up in an environment where both languages are spoken will acquire the two languages simultaneously (Garcia & Baker, 2007). At the early stage of development, the children may mix words in a single sentence, but will begin to gradually distinguish words. Accordingly, sequential Bilingualism occurs when children utilize knowledge and experiences in their first language to acquire the second language. Bilingualism exhibits numerous advantages such as general reasoning, divergent thinking, concept formation, verbal and linguistic abilities and metalinguistic