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Bilingual Education Documentary “Speaking in Tongues” Focuses on Student Impact

Posted August 31, 2010 by Ted Hesson
Categories: National

Durrell Laury learns Mandarin in the bilingual education documentary “Speaking in Tongues.” (Photo Credit: Najib Joe Hakim)

The debate around bilingual education is sometimes framed around the extra tax dollars that might be spent educating students who aren’t native English speakers, but that line of thinking ignores the relatively recent emergence of dual language schools over the last decade and a half.

In one type of dual language school, instruction is split between two languages, let’s say English and Spanish. This allows some students to learn or improve their English while other students develop their Spanish-language skills. Research shows that such programs one of have been beneficial to all students, and as a result, demand is growing. As a disclaimer, I should mention that my sister teaches in New York City’s dual language elementary schools.

In recent years, dual language education in New York City has expanded to included Hebrew and French, as well as more established language programs like Spanish and Chinese languages.

A new high school serving the Miami-Dade area in Florida exemplifies the interest in dual language education, according to an August 31 article in the Miami Herald:

As of last week, there is a new public high school—the International Studies Preparatory Academy @ Gables, or ISPA—the first magnet school in Miami-Dade to offer only International Studies in a high school setting.

A venture between Miami-Dade Schools and the consulates of Spain, France and Italy, the high school completes the International Studies trajectory for the nearly 3,000 students on that course.

They will be able to go from first to 12th grade and take courses in history, foreign languages and some math and science classes—in Spanish, French, Italian or German.

``I think the program is pretty great,’’ said Robert Zoeller, 10, a fifth-grader at Ada Merritt K-8 Center, who has been taking the Spanish curriculum for the past four years. ``We get to learn social studies in Spanish. Not a lot of kids get to experience this much.’‘

With that in mind, the documentary Speaking in Tongues, which follows four students in the San Francisco area as they strive to become bilingual, should be a draw for anyone interested in dual language education or looking to enroll their own children in such a program. This week, the film began to air on local PBS stations, and you can find air times at the bottom of this post.

The filmmakers also offer a study guide for educators who want to use the documentary as an educational tool, and the film website offers ways you can help alter the public perception of bilingual education.

I watched some excerpts from the documentary as part of a film screening at the Netroots Nation convention in Las Vegas this summer, and I’m excited to see the documentary in full. Here’s the trailer:

SPEAKING IN TONGUES TRAILER from PatchWorks Films on Vimeo.

Local air times:

Watch or record Speaking in Tongues in New York City tonight:

* Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 2:00 a.m. on WLIWDT

Then this weekend on Saturday September 4, at 1:00 p.m. it will be on WNET.

Then Speaking in Tongues will be on WLIW-DT3 on:

* Wednesday, September 8 at 10 a.m., 4, 6, and 9 p.m.
* Thursday, September 9 at 2 a.m.
* Sunday, September 12 at 5 a.m and 7 p.m. and
* Monday, September 13 at 5 and 11 a.m.

Later this month Speaking in Tongues will be on the New York City / Montclair, New Jersey channel WJNDT

AND

the New York City / New Brunswick, New Jersey channel WNJBNDT on Monday, September 20, at 9:00 p.m.

Please share this news with your networks!

For a complete listing of PBS airings around the country visit ITVS and search by zip code.

We’re also excited to announce that for the first time ever, PBS will stream our program in three different languages: English, Spanish and Chinese on the PBS Player from September 3 through the 17th. Check our website during those dates for the direct URL.