Bilingual Programs
Thomas Ecker (letter, Dec. 17) believes that the “educational elite” have given us failed programs. Among the “failed programs” mentioned are bilingual education and reading programs that do not provide early instruction in phonics. Scientific studies show, however, that the “failed programs” Ecker mentions did not fail at all.
Children in properly organized bilingual programs acquire English very well, at least as well and usually better than children in all-English programs. Also, California’s reading problems have nothing to do with a reluctance to teach phonics: We have the worst school libraries in the U.S., and our public libraries are among the worst. Studies consistently show that lack of access to reading material is the cause of California’s low reading scores, not lack of phonics.
STEPHEN KRASHEN
Rossier School of Education, USC
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