Effective Bilingual Teaching

State licensure policies for bilingual teachers reflect aconcepts or content knowledge needs to be
common knowledge base about what knowledge,developed through language that students have
skills, and abilities are required for effective bilingualmastered. Knowledge of effective grouping patterns
program implementation and classroom teaching. Inaccording to students' dominant language and L2
California, as elsewhere, state agencies andproficiency. Selection and adaptation of L1 and L2
institutions of higher education continue to refine andmaterials and texts for grade-level instruction in L1
augment the knowledge and research bases forand developmentally appropriate materials in L1.
teacher certification. This expanded knowledge hasKnowledge of cross-linguistic transfer theory and the
been applied in teacher education and credentialingconnections between students' academic knowledge
programs for enhancing the effectiveness ofand their growth in L2 proficiency. Ability to develop
teachers who work with English language learners incritical thinking skills in L1 and to present increasingly
various types of programs.challenging content material in L2 as students'
Policy initiatives that increase the rigor of testing andproficiency increases. Ability to determine what
academic demands for earning bilingual teachingcontent needs to be introduced, practiced, and
certification are responses to changes in federal andassessed in either L1 or L2 at points in time in the
state laws and policies regarding the education ofcurriculum.
English language learners (ELLs) and the demand forKnowledge of the benefits of bilingualism and the
teachers with bilingual teaching skills. As the researchexpectation that students become fully bilingual and
evidence supporting effective bilingual teachingbiliterate. Knowledge of bilingual language use in the
practices expands, programs and licensure regulationsstudents' homes and community and affirmation of
for certifying bilingual teachers will benefit.the use of two or more languages as a resource.
Distinguish between challenges to students' learningExpectations that students will become fully
based on their lack of language proficiency tolinguistically and culturally integrated into society as
express their knowledge of content and when thebilingual individuals.