Bilingual Education in Sociolinguistic Perspective

Abstract

One of the avowed purposes of bilingual education is the maintenance and development of linguistic and cultural diversity. The authors believe that realistic societal information is needed for realistic educational goals. This information, which goes beyond that normally available in school records and county census data, is here described and presented as an aid in deciding what kind of bilingual program to establish. Four broad categories of bilingualism (transitional, monoliterate, partial, and full) are defined and discussed in terms of their societal implications.