Bilingual Help
In these days of controversy over bilingual education, and multilingual enrollments, many solutions to the problem are being proposed.
The problem, of course, is that children of many ethnic backgrounds are entering the school system without knowledge of English--the language through which they will be taught. Providing bilingual teachers for these children is proving to be an impossible task.
The only alternative is to teach the children English before they enter the school system. This can best be done at the neighborhood level.
Centers could be established to accommodate all 3- and 4-year-old children, with a minimum of two hours of instruction and practice daily. Well-qualified teachers and aides could instruct several groups throughout the day.
As a fringe benefit, the parents who bring the children to these classes would also learn some English and would be more likely to encourage English speaking in the home.
EUCHARIA KENNEDY
Los Angeles
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