Written as a foundational textbook for students and teachers, this book provides a comprehensive first introduction to bilingualism and bilingual education. In a compact and straightforward manner, bilingualism at individual, language minority group and national levels are discussed. The 18 chapters cover the crucial issues and controversies about language minorities and bilingual education. These include: Defining who is bilingual Testing language abilities and language use Languages in communities and minority groups Language planning Language loss and revival The development of bilingualism in infancy and childhood Bilingualism in the family Learning a second language Aptitude and motivation Age and language learning Bilingualism and 'intelligence' Bilingual's thinking skills Bilingualism and the brain Theories of bilingualism Types of bilingual education Evaluations of bilingual education Language minority underachievement Biliteracy Cultural awareness Multiculturalism Different classroom styles of second language learning US and Canadian approaches to bilingual education Bilingual classrooms The politics surrounding language minorities and bilingual education Assimilation and pluralism Antiracism
Written as a foundational textbook for students and teachers, this book provides a comprehensive first introduction to bilingualism and bilingual education. In a compact and straightforward manner, bilingualism at individual, language minority group and national levels are discussed.
Part 1 The individual and social nature of bilingualism: bilingualism -
definitions and distinctions; the measurement of bilingualism; languages in
society; language revival and reversal; the development of bilingualism;
second language acquisition; theories of second language acquisition;
bilingualism and intelligence; bilingualism and thinking; cognitive theories
of bilingualism and the curriculum. Part 2 Bilingual education and bilingual
classrooms: types of bilingual education; the effectiveness of bilingual
education; minority language learning, underachievement and biliteracy;
second language learning; Canadian immersion classrooms; a model and a
framework of bilingual education; the politics of bilingualism;
multiculturalism and anti-racism.
Colin Baker obtained a First Class Honours degree in Educational Studies and a subsequent PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Wales. He is currently Senior Lecturer at the University of Wales at Bangor and Director of Research Centre Wales. His current research includes the effectiveness of bilingual education, the national assessment of minority language attainment and a Council of Europe initiative on bilingual education.
