Filipino Immersion Program 1

Running head: FILIPINO IMMERSION SCHOOL

Proposal for a Filipino immersion elementar program in !n"horage !las#a !ndre$ Castro Pong"o %ni&ersit of Ha$aii at Manoa

andrewpongco@yahoo.co.jp

Introduction

Filipino Immersion Program '

!n"horage( It is the home of around ')*+1,* people -%(S Census .ureau+ '//,0( It is the "it $here $e "an read a ne$spaper outside on our por"hes at ele&en o1"lo"# at night+ 2e"ause $e ha&e the midnight sun+ gi&ing us t$ent hour long da s in the summer( It is the "it $here $e "an see the northern lights in the $inter+ "o&ering the entire s# three hundred si3t degrees+ disappearing+ reappearing and "hanging "olor+ $hile others $ho li&e outside !las#a "an onl read a2out it or see it through pi"tures in 2oo#s( It is the "it $here $e host the most important airport for international trade+ an airport that traffi"s more "argo than an other airport in the $orld gi&ing us sta2le 4o2s ear round( It is the "it $here $e "an en4o the fruit of the land on"e e&er ear in

the form of the Permanent Fund 5i&idend "he"#+ a "he"# that "omes from the profits of our oil "ompanies( 6e "an agree that $e ha&e a lot of resour"es( 6e ha&e a lot of things to "herish in this "it ( 6e ha&e a lot of things to 2e than#ful for( Ho$e&er+ there is one resour"e that is left untapped in our "it ( It is a resour"e that $e $ould ha&e ne&er "onsidered 2eing a resour"e( It is a resour"e that $e see+ hear+ and li&e $ith e&er da 2ut goes unnoti"ed( It is the gift from the Filipino "ommunit residing in !n"horage: their language( !lthough there are man diale"ts from the Philippines spo#en in !n"horage+ su"h as Ilo#ano+ 7apamgangan+ and Pangasinan+ the ma4orit of Filipinos spea#s Filipino sin"e it is the national language of the Philippines+ a language that is hea&il 2ased on 8agalog 2ut in"lude linguisti" elements from the different regional diale"ts of the Philippines as $ell as Spanish and English $ords(

8here is a 2ig and strong Filipino "ommunit in !n"horage( !""ording to the %S Census .ureau+ for '//,+ the pro4e"ted an estimated Filipino population of 9+:** li&ing in households+ e3"luding Filipinos li&ing in other li&ing arrangements su"h as uni&ersit dormitories+ institutions+ and group ;uarters( It is a2out :,< of the 1)+/=/ !sians in !n"horage and ,< of the entire !n"horage population( Ho$e&er+ I $ant to gi&e ou not onl an idea of si>e of the population 2ut also an idea of the "ohesi&eness of the "ommunit ( 8here is a lo"al pu2li" tele&ision program "alled Fil!m

Filipino Immersion Program ,

Sho$time $hi"h 2road"asts ne$s of e&ents ta#en pla"e $ithin the Filipino "ommunit residing in !n"horage( !lso+ there is an e3"lusi&e 2as#et2all league $ith three di&isions: adult+ 4unior+ and pee$ee( ?ou "an go to Rain2o$ @ideo in midto$n+ a &ideo rental store that has a "olle"tion of o&er a thousand mo&ie titles produ"ed in the Philippines( ?ou "an go to the midto$n 6almart+ midto$n M"5onalds+ the %nited States Postal Offi"e 2ran"h near the airport+ and the airport itself and ou "an see do>ens if not hundreds of Filipino emplo ees that "ommuni"ate in Filipino+ 4o#e around $ith ea"h other in Filipino+ and tal# a2out ho$ the $ant to pass their language do$n to their "hildren in Filipino( .ut for this paper+ I $ant us to fo"us on the huge amount of Filipino students in the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t(

!s a Filipino "hild+ I re"all 2eing pulled out of m home "lasses at 6illo$ Crest Elementar s"hool $ith m other Filipino friends and attending intensi&e ESL "lasses( !s I progressed to Romig Aunior High S"hool+ I remem2er meeting the other Filipinos $ho attended different elementar s"hools and the si>e of m group of friends e3panded( Needless to sa + this trend of e3pansion "ontinued to 6est !n"horage High S"hool $here it seemed that there $as an arm of us roaming the s"hool( !lthough it has 2een ears sin"e I entered the halls of m alma maters+ I "an imagine m e3perien"e is the same for other Filipinos in the s"hool distri"t( In '//*+ the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t reported that the se"ond most spo#en language of students is Filipino -Boldsmith et( al+ '//:0( So+ $e "an assume that someone in the s"hool distri"t+ $hether if that person is a student+ a tea"her+ a prin"ipal+ a li2rarian+ a nurse+ or a superintendent+ $ill 2e e3posed to Filipino( 6ith the si>e of the Filipino population in mind as $ell the a&aila2ilit of the language in the

Filipino Immersion Program *

s"hool distri"t+ let us utili>e our resour"es effi"ientl ( Let us dra$ upon $hat $e ha&e stored 2ut ne&er use( I propose the implementation of a Filipino immersion program in an elementar s"hool $ithin !n"horage !las#a( Considering the population of Filipinos $ho o2tained post se"ondar edu"ation from a uni&ersit from the Philippines and are ;ualified to tea"h 2ut ta#e up unrelatedC toCtheirCedu"ationalC2a"#ground 4o2s at 6almart or M"5onalds+ and "onsidering the in"rease of potential Filipino language tea"hers from esta2lishments li#e the Filipino undergraduate program at %ni&ersit of Ha$aii at Manoa+ there is a future for tea"hing FilipinoCasCaCse"ond language( .efore I propose the implementation of a Filipino immersion program in an elementar s"hool of the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ $e need to understand t$o things( First+ in order to understand ho$ a Filipino immersion elementar s"hool "an fit in the frame$or# of the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ $e need a 2rief o&er&ie$ of the .ilingualD Multi"ultural Edu"ation Program and ho$ its roots 2egan in order to "ompl $ith the federal re;uirements under 8itle @I of the Ci&il Rights of 1E)* and the !las#a la$ statute+ !S 1*(,/(*1/( !fter understanding the 2a"#ground of the program and its goal+ $e $ill see the noti"ea2le pro2lems 2et$een poli" and pra"ti"e( Se"ond+ I $ill e3amine ho$ immersion programs address that pro2lem 2ut differ in effe"ti&eness due to a&aila2ilit or la"# of a&aila2ilit of language resour"es for students entering an immersion program in !n"horage(

Anchorage School District Bilingual/Multicultural Education Program

8he re;uirement under 8itle @I of the Ci&il Rights !"t states FNo Person in the %nited States

Filipino Immersion Program :

shall+ on the ground of ra"e+ "olor+ or national origin+ 2e e3"luded from the parti"ipation in+ 2e denied 2enefits of+ or 2e su24e"ted to dis"rimination under an program or a"ti&it re"ei&ing Federal finan"ial assistan"e(G Immigrants to the %nited States fall under this 4urisdi"tion and "annot 2e denied pu2li" ser&i"es+ su"h as primar and se"ondar edu"ation 2e"ause of their national origin( Ho$e&er+ due to the limited of English profi"ien" of most immigrants+ this poses as a "omple3 issue for edu"ators( Ho$ do ou pro&ide instru"tion for math+ s"ien"e+ and 2asi" life s#ills for immigrants $ho possess limited profi"ien" in the medium of instru"tion+ EnglishH !lso+ ho$ do ou pro&ide edu"ation for immigrants $ithout den ing their heritage and language 2a"#groundH !s an attempt to sol&e this dilemma+ the state of !las#a addresses the need for 2ilingual edu"ation programs( Stated in !las#a Edu"ation Regulations Chapter ,*+ *!C,*(1/1+ 8he department 2elie&es that pro&iding e;ual opportunit to these -minorit 0 "hildren through the esta2lishment of .ilingualD.i"ultural programs of edu"ation $ill pro&ide more effe"ti&e use of 2oth English and the student1s language+ foster more su""essful se"ondar and higher edu"ation "areers+ fa"ilitate the o2taining of emplo ment+ tend to 2ring a2out an end to the depre"iation of lo"al "ulture elements and &alues in sol&ing edu"ational pro2lems+ effe"t a positi&e selfC image+ allo$ genuine options in "hoosing a $a of life and fa"ilitate more harmonious relationships 2et$een the student1s "ulture and the mainstream of so"iet ( 6ith these intentions+ the state of !las#a passed the la$+ !S 1*(,/(*1/ that Fmandates distri"ts to pro&ide in a""ordan"e $ith state regulations a 2ilingualD2i"ultural edu"ation for ea"h s"hool

Filipino Immersion Program )

$ith eight or more students of limited EnglishCspea#ing a2ilit $hose primar language is other than EnglishG( 8his made it possi2le for s"hools in rural areas to open integrated "ultural and language programs promoting Nati&e !las#an heritage+ su"h as Cu1pi# "ulture programs in the 7ashunamiut S"hool 5istri"t in 6estern !las#a and ?u1pi# 2ilingual edu"ation in .ethel+ programs that dra$ upon its surrounding lo"al "ulture( Follo$ing a""ordan"e $ith the state statute+ the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t implemented the .ilingualDMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program+ a program that ser&es around )'// students+ 1,< of the student population $ho spea# a language other than English as their primar language -Boldsmith et( al+ '//:0(

Ho$e&er+ after anal >ing the "urrent poli" of the 2ilingual program+ I found a serious dis"repan" 2et$een the language poli" of the distri"t and the language poli" of the state( !""ording to .ilingualDMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program $e2site+ the program $ithin elementar s"hools pro&ides intensi&e ESL "lasses for students $ith limited English profi"ien" 2 pulling them out of their home "lasses( 8his is no different from m e3perien"e of 2eing pulled out of m "lass $hen I attended 6illo$ Crest Elementar and put into F2ilingual edu"ationG "lass( I re"all attending F2ilingual edu"ationG "lasses 2ut I don1t re"all using m first language of 8agalog e3tensi&el or en"ouraged to use it( Similar to m e3perien"e+ students no$ada s "an 2e pulled out for up to three hours until the F2e"ome more profi"ient in English and the are graduall mainstreamed into their homeroom "lassesG -!n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ '//)a0 or ho$ m friends and I in elementar s"hool used to &ie$ it+ Fgraduate 2ilingual edu"ation "lassG(

Filipino Immersion Program =

!lthough the multi"ultural edu"ation side of the program en"ourages s"hool staff to hold "ultural e&ents to promote a$areness of the di&ersit of "ultures in the distri"t and $ith hopes that it $ill in"rease the selfCesteem and selfCimage+ there is no mention of pro&iding language maintenan"e in the students1 first language or an de&elopment of litera" in their first language in 2ilingual edu"ation plan( 8his none3isten"e of minorit language use or none3isten"e of the en"ouragement of use is in"onsistent to the se"tion of !las#a Edu"ation Regulations Chapter ,*+ *!C,*(1/1 $hen the state that 2ilingual programs F$ill pro&ide more effe"ti&e use of 2oth English and the students languageG -itali"s added0( 6ithout the de&elopment of a studentIs first language espe"iall during the earl ages of the student+ the $ill lose that language rapidl -6ong Fillmore 1EE1J Cummins 1EE10( !fter a student loses their first language+ the are no longer 2ilingual and 2e"ome monolingual $hi"h is "ontradi"tor to the program1s name itself+ F.ilingualGDMulti"ultural Edu"ation( %nfortunatel + the student learns a se"ond language at the e3pense of losing the first(

Ho$e&er+ there is some hope( !fter sear"hing through files on the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t online data2ase+ I dis"o&ered the a2stra"t of the F.ilingualDMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program Si3C ?ear Instru"tional PlanG+ pu2lished in Aanuar E+ '//)( !pparentl + this is a plan that is made to "ompl $ith the !las#a la$ statute !S 1*(1=(*'/ -20 that states+ FIf a distri"t offers spe"ial edu"ation+ gifted and talented edu"ation+ &o"ational+ or 2ilingual edu"ation ser&i"es+ in order to re"ei&e funding+ the distri"t must file $ith the department a plan that indi"ates the ser&i"es that $ill 2e pro&ided to students $ho re"ei&e these ser&i"es(G In one of the 2ullets appearing the planIs

Filipino Immersion Program 9

a2stra"t+ the .ilingualDMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program $ill Kpro&ide effe"ti&e tea"hing strategies in order for limitedCEnglishCprofi"ient students to de&elop nati&eCli#e profi"ien" in English as $ell pro&iding students the opportunit to maintain and de&elop their nati&e language -i(e(+ language immersion programs0K -!n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ '//)20( Sadl + I s"anned the do"ument and found no plans for an opening+ e3pansion+ or e&en a mere mention of an immersion s"hool( !""ording to the si3C ear plan+ it appears that the efforts to pro&ide ser&i"es to limitedCEnglishC profi"ient students are onl more fre;uent English language assessment tests+ more "ulturall responsi&e tea"hers+ and impro&ed EnglishCasCaCse"ondClanguage program( Perhaps $hat is more sho"#ing to me is the implementation of EnglishCasCse"ondClanguage "lasses for parents $hi"h suggests that the distri"t $ants to en"ourage English intera"tion 2et$een parents and students and not their home language( O&erall+ there is some attempt to maintain or de&elop a minorit student1s primar language( 8hree immersion programs that I #no$ of that e3ist in the primar le&el: Aapanese in Sand La#e Elementar + Russian in 8urnagain Elementar + and Spanish in Bo&ernment Hill Elementar (

Immersion programs in the Anchorage School District elementary schools

6ith the $idespread 2elief in !n"horage that languages ta#e time to a";uire and a 2ilingual edu"ation $ill help "hildren 2e"ome mentall fle3i2le 2 2eing a2le to thin# in t$o different linguisti" frame$or#s+ parents are eager to ha&e their "hildren enter immersion programs in elementar s"hools -51Oro '//:0( Sand La#e Elementar S"hool1s Aapanese Immersion Program

Filipino Immersion Program E

has 2een around sin"e 1E9E and its Aapanese immersion program is "oordinated $ith similar programs in Mears Middle S"hool and 5imond High S"hool+ ensuring that students "an progress in grade le&el+ 7indergarten to their senior ear in high s"hool+ $hile 2eing a2le to "ontinue their Aapanese language and "ulture studies( Students are taught half the da in Aapanese and then the remaining half is taught in English( 8his has 2e"ome a $ell sought out program for parents 2e"ause parti"ipants in this program are &ie$ed as Fhighl mar#eta2leG and Ftend to 2e a""epted in the top tier of "ollegesG -Ber4e&i" '//,0( In order to enter this program+ parents enter a lotter in hopes of their "hild or "hildren to 2e sele"ted and this pro"ess is the same for 2oth the Russian program in 8urnagain and Spanish program in Bo&ernment Hill( 8urnagain Elementar S"hool1s Russian Immersion Program is similar to Sand Lan# in that it pro&ides half the da instru"tion in Russian and the other in English( Ho$e&er+ the aim of this s"hool is more fo"used on promoting histori"al studies a2out Russia and !las#a 2e"ause of Russia1s former o$nership of !las#a( Plus+ the s"hool is fo"used on promoting international relations $ith Russia 2e"ause of its geographi"al "loseness(

!lthough these t$o programs promote 2ilingualism+ it is not for the purpose of maintaining or de&eloping a minorit student1s nati&e language( 6ith a lo$ Aapanese demographi" residing in !n"horage+ a2out )9* residents (//'< of the !n"horage population -%(S Census .ureau+ '//,0+ the poli" of the Aapanese immersion program is e"onomi"all fo"used in regards to a"ademi" e3"ellen"e and emplo ment( !s for the Russian immersion program+ it ad&ertises that+ for Russian as a first language spea#ing "hild+ it $ill Fimpro&e the "hild1s understanding of his or her

Filipino Immersion Program 1/

languageG -!n"horage S"hool 5istri"t '//)"0( Ho$e&er+ in '//:+ onl si3 students of the program1s students "ome from RussiaCspea#ing homes -51Oro '//:0( 8his seems odd that these 2ilingual programs e3ist if $e remem2er the !las#a la$ statute+ !S 1*(,/(*1/ that Fmandates distri"ts to pro&ide in a""ordan"e $ith state regulations a 2ilingualD2i"ultural edu"ation for ea"h s"hool $ith eight or more students of limited EnglishCspea#ing a2ilit $hose primar language is other than EnglishG -itali"s added0( So it is un"lear if !S 1*(,/(*1/ refers to those eight or more students as students in the same language 2a"#ground or 4ust eight students $ho has limited EnglishCspea#ing a2ilities regardless if the share the same language 2a"#ground #no$ledge or not( Ho$e&er+ if $e &ie$ the statute under a different poli" + let us sa + EnglishCasCaCse"ond language poli" in the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ those eight or more students are "learl defined as limitedCEnglishCprofi"ien" and that the Aapanese and Russian program are not 2ilingual programs 2ut rather foreign language programs(

!lthough I am unfamiliar $ith the Russian immersion program and ha&e not heard e&aluation from an people in&ol&ed $ith the program+ I do find the effe"ti&eness of Sand La#e Elementar S"hool Aapanese immersion program ;uestiona2le( I remem2er during m undergraduate ears at the %ni&ersit of !las#a !n"horage+ I 2efriended "lassmates in m 2eginner and intermediate Aapanese language "lasses $ho attended the program( %pon dis"o&ering that some students had had t$el&e ears of Aapanese language instru"tion+ starting from Sand La#e on$ard to the uni&ersit + I "uriousl as#ed them $h the are ta#ing the "urrent "ourses and if it is not too eas for them( If one of the program goals is to ha&e Fstudents to 2e fun"tionall profi"ient in English

Filipino Immersion Program 11

and AapaneseG -Sand La#e Elementar '//)0+ $h are these "lassmates in "lass $ith people $ho onl had one semester or one ear of Aapanese language "ourses as opposed to t$el&e earsH 8he response I usuall get is that it is too eas for them 2ut the 4ust $ant to fulfill the one ear of foreign language re;uirements $ith Feas "reditG( 8his led me to ;uestion $h m "lassmates are not moti&ated to progress in Aapanese language profi"ien" ( !fter inter&ie$ing a friend $ho attended the immersion program+ m friend stated+ Fthe onl reason $h most students $here there is 2e"ause their parents $anted them to 2e there(G M friends also mention there $ere no "lassmates from Aapanese spea#ing homes so m friend1s Aapanese profi"ien" $as de&eloped during stud a2road in Aapan in high s"hool rather than in immersion program itself( So I "on"luded that it $as not the ;ualit of the instru"tion or the e3posed time to the language+ 2ut the la"# of appli"a2ilit and rele&an" to a student1s life that made the program ineffe"ti&e(

!side from m "riti"isms and spe"ulations+ there is the "ase of the Spanish immersion program at Bo&ernment Hill Elementar S"hool( !fter fa"ing possi2ilit "losure of the s"hool 2a"# in the earl 1EE/1s due to its high turno&er rate of prin"ipals and tea"hers and the lo$ distri"t a"ademi" assessment s"ores and dis"ipline pro2lems of students+ the s"hool $as in dire need of reformation( 8he s"hool too# a ris# of implementing an alternati&e program+ the SpanishCEnglish immersion program in Bo&ernment Hill Elementar ( It 2egan in 1EE) $ith ': Spanish and ': English spea#ers in t$o "om2ined #indergarten and firstCgrade "lassrooms -.lan#enship '//'0( 8hroughout the ears+ the program e3panded in si>e and in su""ess( . '///+ Fthe s"hool1s

Filipino Immersion Program 1'

California !"hie&ement 8est s"ores in reading+ $riting+ and math had made the 2iggest gains in the distri"t o&er a fi&eC ear period+ and Bo&ernment Hill $as honored as the !las#a .ilingual Program of the ear( In '//1+ the s"hool $on nation$ide re"ognition as one of the onl si3 s"hools in the "ountr to 2e a$arded the National S"hool Change !$ardG -.lan#enship '//' p(,:0( 6hat made this s"hool so su""essfulH .e"ause of the lo$ rent housing+ Bo&ernment Hill neigh2orhood residents are mostl immigrants from Spanish spea#ing "ountries su"h as Me3i"o+ El Sal&ador+ Buatemala+ E"uador+ et"( 8his highl "on"entrated Spanish spea#ing population pro&ided the linguisti" en&ironment for the immersion program( In the $hole "it of !n"horage+ the num2er of the population of Hispani" origins is $orth to note( 8he %(S( Census .ureau reported that in '//'+ there are a2out 1=+/)) people of Hispani" origin+ a2out )(:< of the population of !n"horage( 8he !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t reports that there a2out 1+=*1 students $ho spea# Spanish as their primar language+ the 2iggest population of students $ho spea# a language other than English( 6ith these resour"es a&aila2le for the "hildren of the Spanish immersion program+ I 2elie&e this is $hat made it possi2le for the program to flourish and to $in a$ards for e3"ellen"e(

Conclusion: Filipino immersion program proposal

!s for m proposal of a Filipino immersion program+ I 2elie&e that it $ill initiall ha&e pro2lems+ mainl from the la"# of ;ualified Filipino language( .ut as $e ta#e into "onsideration+ a large of population of Filipino students $ho $ill graduall lose their language in elementar s"hool+ this

Filipino Immersion Program 1,

not onl 2e"omes a ;uestion of $hat $e "an do+ 2ut also the ;uestion of $hat $e should do( For the 2ilingual edu"ation poli" of the state of !las#a+ this proposal fits in perfe"tl $ell( It en"ourages the use of a student1s language $hile gaining profi"ien" in English( It $ill end Fthe depre"iation of one1s "ultureG as stated in !las#a Edu"ation Regulations Chapter ,*+ *!C,*(1/1+ 2e"ause Filipinos $ill not &ie$ their language as a $orthless language 2ut rather as a means to a"ademi" e3"ellen"e( For the 2ilingual edu"ation poli" of the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ if the trul $ant to pro&ide ser&i"es that help students maintain and de&elop a student1s nati&e language+ then "on"rete plans should 2e made in effort of doing so instead mentioning immersion programs in the a2stra"t of their si3 ear instru"tional -and in parenthesis I might add0( 8he immersion program plans should 2e mentioned in the si3 ear plan itself( Ho$e&er+ if the plan is to ser&e limitedCEnglishCprofi"ient students 2 pulling them out of "lasses and putting them into intensi&e EnglishCasCse"ondClanguage "ourses until the are mainstreamed into English $ithout de&elopment of their first language+ then the distri"t1s .ilingualD Multi"ultural Edu"ation Program should 2e appropriatel renamed to MonolingualDMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program or EnglishC Onl DMulti"ultural Edu"ation Program(

!fter e3amining the immersion s"hools+ I 2elie&e a Filipino immersion s"hool $ill ha&e similar su""ess as the Spanish immersion program in Bo&ernment Hill( %nli#e the Aapanese or Russian immersion program $ith ideals of future emplo ment opportunities for "hildren+ the Spanish program $as made to address the lo"al "ommunit and its needs( 6ith the huge population of immigrants from SpanishCspea#ing "ountries+ $e "an 2e assured that the "hildren in the Spanish

Filipino Immersion Program 1*

program $ill find some appli"a2ilit to their li&es as !n"horage residents( !s for the Filipino immersion program+ I 2elie&e the Filipino "ommunit residing in !n"horage $ill pro&ide the resour"es for the program to 2e esta2lished and to fun"tion( If our ma4or "on"ern for the edu"ation of "hildren is for them to 2e 2ilingual+ let us not thin# too far in their future li#e the good "olleges the $ill get into or the good 4o2s the $ill get that uses the foreign language the studied( Let us thin#+ in the immediate sense+ a2out the "hildren from Filipino spea#ing homes and ho$ the de&elopment and maintenan"e of their first language $ill not onl 2enefit their a"ademi" li&es+ 2ut for the sense of self and that self $ithin the "ommunit ( !s for "hildren not from Filipino spea#ing homes+ let us thin# a2out ho$ the "an a"hie&e that "ross linguisti" and "ultural understanding $e $ish them to ha&e not onl from te3t 2oo#s and tea"hers 2ut from the Filipino peers in their "lass and the Filipino "ommunit (

6e re"ogni>e that 2ilingualism is needed( Ho$e&er+ $e seriousl need to thin# on ho$ to promote 2ilingualism and $hat $e do to promote 2ilingualism( 8his ho$ part "an 2e ans$ered if $e thin# of language as resour"e( ! good ;uote from the National Foreign Language Center sums up $hat I ha&e 2een tr ing to e3plain throughout this paper+ the %nited States has "riti"al needs for genuine "ommuni"ati&e "ompeten" in a range of languages+ a le&el of "ompeten" that "an rarel 2e attained 2 nati&e English spea#ers in a "lassroom setting( 8he ethni" "ommunities "onstitute a &alua2le and uni;ue resour"e in produ"ing true multilingual a2ilit in English and languages that are essential to the national interest -NFLC 1EE:+ 10(

Filipino Immersion Program 1:

6hat to do in !n"horage to promote 2ilingualism is open up a Filipino immersion program( 8he 2iggest population of immigrants is Spanish spea#ing( It seems logi"al to ha&e a Spanish immersion program( If $e follo$ this logi"+ $e should open an immersion program for the population group ne3t in line+ the se"ond 2iggest immigrant population+ Filipinos( If $e don1t+ there is an e3pression Filipinos $ould sa in this "onte3t+ sayang+ $hi"h roughl translates to F$hat a $asteG( Here a fe$ e3amples of the $ord sayang in "onte3t( 8o put effort into ma#ing a 2ilingual poli" in the state of !las#a 2ut not ha&ing that poli" follo$ed in the !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t+ that is sayang( 8o ha&e "hildren $ho listen to their heritage language e&er da at home 2ut not 2eing a2le to de&elop it and e&entuall losing it+ that is sayang( 8o ha&e "hildren go through ears of language instru"tion 2ut finding no purpose for it and ultimatel not using it in their future endea&ors+ that is sayang( 8o ha&e a language resour"e $ithin our rea"h+ to ha&e a gift 2ut to ne&er open it+ and to #no$ that $e ha&e something useful 2ut render it is useless+ that is sayang(

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Filipino Immersion Program 1)

Instru"tional Plan( Retrie&ed O"to2er )+'//)+ from http:DD$$$(asd#1'(orgDdeptsD"eiD do$nloadD)L2iling(pdf !n"horage S"hool 5istri"t -'//)"0( Russian Immersion Program( Retrie&ed O"to2er 1/+ '//) From http:DD$$$(asd#1'(orgDs"hoolsDturnagainDpagesDrussianDpdfD RussianLImmersionLFl er(pdf .lan#enship+ A( -'//'0( 8he gift of t$o languages: ! Spanish immersion program 2rings Bo&ernment Hill Elementar 2a"# from the 2rin#( Northwest Education+ 8-10+ ,*C,E( Cummins+ A( -1EE10( F8he 5e&elopment of .ilingual Profi"ien" from Home to S"hool: ! Longitudinal Stud of PortugueseCSpea#ing Children(G Journal of Education 1=,:9:CE9( 51Oro+ R( -'//:0( Russian rules: No English is allo$ed half the da in oneCofCaC#ind immersion "lasses( The Anchorage Daily News( Retrie&ed O"to2er 1/+ '//) from http:DD$$$(adn("omDne$sDedu"ationDstor D)1/9E=EpC:EE')E'"(html( Ber4e&i"+ S( -'//,0( Optional programs fa"e di&ersit "hallenge( The Anchorage Daily News( Retrie&ed O"to2er 1/( '//) from http:DD$$$(adn("omDlifeDstor D'=1**/'pC'=)''E)"(html( Boldsmith+ S(+ Ho$e+ L( M Leas# L( -'//:0( !n"horage !t :/: Changing Fast+ 6ith More to Come( Institute of So"ial and E"onomi" Resear"h( %ni&ersit of !las#a !n"horage( National Foreign Language Center( -1EE:0( Heritages languages in the national interest( 6ashington 5(C(:NFLC( Sand La#e Elementar S"hool( -'//)0( Immersion 2ro"hure( Retrie&ed O"to2er 1'+ '//) from http:DD$e2(ma"("omDgarrit Lpatri"#Di6e2DSand<'/La#e<'/SiteDImmersionLfilesD

Filipino Immersion Program 1=

Immersion<'/.ro"hure(pdf %(S( Census .ureau !meri"an Communit Sur&e Offi"e( -Aune '9+ '//:0( !n"horage muni"ipalit + !n"horage muni"ipalit pt( Retrie&ed O"to2er )+ '//) from http:DD$$$("ensus(go&Da"sD$$$DProdu"tsDProfilesDSingleD'//,D!CSD8a2ularD1::D1:://% S/'/,////'/1(htm 6ong Fillmore+ L( 1EE1( F6hen Learning a Se"ond Language Means Losing the First(G Early Childhood Research Quarterly ): ,',C*)(