Lesson Planning in Different Instructional Contexts: Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual, and Structured English Immersion

Abstract

Bilingual education is one of the most divided, highly researched and discussed topics in the United States today. While individuals may have their own opinions as to what bilingual education program they believe works best for English language learners, something that many forget to consider is the fact that any program can be a success or a complete failure, depending on the effort of its implementation. The topic of my thesis is to provide teachers with considerations for lesson planning in three types of bilingual programs or classrooms: dual language, transitional bilingual, and Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs. What I chose to focus on is not what program works "best" based on extensive research and theory, but on what teachers can do in each of the three language program settings to make it work best for their students, which is the ultimate goal.