A Critical Look at Dual Language Immersion in the New Latin@ Diaspora

Abstract

Two-way immersion (TWI), an approach that combines language-minority students and native English speakers in dual-language classrooms, is growing in popularity in schools of newly Latinized regions of the U.S. Using North Carolina as an example, this critical review of the literature posits that as neoliberal trends increasingly shape the communities of the new Latin@ diaspora, the uncritical implementation of TWI can serve as a double-edged sword that commodifies Latin@s’ linguistic resources. The article discusses these dangers, as well as critical issues that should be considered to increase TWI’s potential for Latin@ empowerment in new gateway regions.

Notes

1. ¹I utilize the symbol “@” in the word Latin@ (and later in the word Chican@) throughout this article to avoid the masculinistic term Latino and binary notions of gender in Latina/o.

3. ²The Bracero Program (1942–1964) included a series of laws and diplomatic binational agreements for the importation of temporary laborers from Mexico to the United States.

4. ³The authors and organizations of these reports have been omitted in the reference list to protect the district’s anonymity.

5. ⁴The rest of the programs include 19 two-way immersion and two developmental bilingual.

6. ⁵The only program specifically stated to directly benefit non-English speakers is the developmental bilingual program—described as “designed to help non-English speakers learn English as well as maintain and improve their native or heritage language skills.”

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Claudia G. Cervantes-Soon

Claudia G. Cervantes-Soon is Assistant Professor in the School of Education at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.