Dual Language Bilingual Education

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This excellent book provides a fascinating example of dual language bilingual education today. Rich in ethnographic detail and insightful analysis, Henderson and Palmer carefully document how teachers navigate what proves to be extremely challenging policy terrain. While the case is unique, the findings and recommendations offer crucial implications for language education policies and bilingual programs everywhere.

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As dedicated scholars and advocates for bilingual education, Henderson and Palmer bring to readers an insightful account of the impacts of ideology, identity and policy in bilingual classrooms. Their careful analysis of practitioners in Texan schools point to urgent issues as well as possibilities facing bilingual education and language policy in the United States.

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This book gives educational leaders (beginning with our teachers) important ‘food for thought’, encouraging reflection upon what our individual and collective contribution needs to be if we are to be successful in delivering the promise of K-12 Dual Language Bilingual Education for ALL families who choose to participate.

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This is a timely contribution given the increasing interest in these [dual language bilingual education] programs; the benefits of bilingualism, biculturalism, and biliteracy; and the need for a resource describing teachers’ roles in implementing a top-down DLBE model.

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After reading this book, educators will be able to better identify, understand and negotiate their personal language ideologies with the needs of the student population that they are serving. This knowledge will contribute to the effectiveness of the dual language bilingual education program that they are implementing.

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Henderson and Palmer have created a fascinating book, which is well worth the read for those educators recently involved in dual language education, educators just beginning in dual language education, and students interested in the field of dual language education. Those looking to implement a DLBE program should also have the administrators read this book as it truly gives an idea of what a program would look like and the issues that may arise.

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While this body of work contributes to the existing knowledge suggesting the inefficacy of top-down policymaking, the damaging role of standardized testing, and the omnipresence and complex network of competing language ideologies, perhaps its most valuable contribution is how it informs practice across similar bilingual educational contexts.

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The findings and recommendations the authors make should be considered carefully by district leaders, principals, teachers, both preservice and in-service, and scholars. It calls for attention to ideological clarity regarding how they value Spanish (or whatever the partner home language) to understand what language is, what it represents, its challenges, and its power, and most importantly its impact on our leadership, and leadership comes through many venues.

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