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commenced when a person begins to understand utterances in a second language, but is unable to produce utterances.
Other definitions of bilingualism have considered the age at which the second language is learned, the contexts in which the two languages have been
learned, or the domains in which each language is used. From the definitions above, it can be concluded that bilingualism starts
when speaker of one language can produce meaningful utterances in other language, and he has control of two or more languages, as the one a native would
have in each one of those language.
2. Bilingual Education
Bilingual education is a form of education in which information is presented to the students in two or more languages. Technically, any educational
system that utilizes more than one language is bilingual. This means that many, if not most, school programs are bilingual, in at least a literal sense of the word.
What differentiates various programs that are toted as ‘bilingual’ is the degree to which multiple languages are used.
According to Burnham-Massey and Pina 1990: 129-132 bilingual education has done well, but it can do much better. The biggest problem, in this
authors view, is the absence of books--in both the first and second languages--in the lives of students in these programs. Free voluntary reading can help all
components of bilingual education: It can be a source of comprehensible input in
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English or a means for developing knowledge and literacy through the first language, and for continuing first language development.
Baca Payon state that operationalizing bilingual education requires the creation of an instructional social system that involves active teaching of
cognitive skills and includes the development of language skills while focusing on the acquisition of English. All instruction is prescribed in a manner that
accommodates and remediates the students exceptionality. Students must understand the directions and the nature of the tasks. Instruction must be provided
within a relevant cultural context so that expectations can be understood by the student. Because language is the primary conveyor of instruction, the students
stronger language must be employed 1989: 2. There are some goals of bilingual education stated by some experts, as
follows: a. Assimilation. This goal can be reached by transitional programs, but the
passage will be a painful one Fillmore Meyer, 1992. b. To maintain diversity while developing skills in English, the curriculum, is
geared toward maintaining the native language as English is developed. This is called a bilingual maintenance program. This approach
contributes to cultural pride and also develops citizens who are fluent in two languages. It is the one most bilingual educator recommend
Gollnick Chinn, 1990 in Passe, 1999: 141.
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3. The Types of Bilingual Education
