Cristina Alfaro on Bilingual Education
黑料吃瓜 faculty member Cristina Alfaro is an expert on Proposition 58.
Prop. 58 gives educators, parents and the community a say about language instruction in public schools. Supporters of the measure say it will create better opportunities for students and allow them to embrace diversity. But because this law is reversing a position held for nearly two decades, there are currently not enough teachers with bilingual authorization credentials.
鈥淭here was virtually no incentive for teachers to pursue bilingual credentials,鈥� said Cristina Alfaro, associate professor of English language and biliteracy development in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 College of Education in an . 鈥淲hy would you prepare for a job that doesn鈥檛 exist?鈥�
With the passage of Prop. 58, the demand for teachers with bilingual credentials is expected to skyrocket. Despite the overwhelming public support for the measure, Alfaro cautions about rushing to implement dual language programs.
鈥淪chools have to make sure that they investigate the needs of the students they serve,鈥� said Alfaro. 鈥淭hese programs will only be effective if the teachers receive appropriate professional development, have a solid curriculum and cultural competence for the students they work with. Developing these things takes time.鈥�
黑料吃瓜 has the largest bilingual teacher education program in California, graduating an average of 50 to 60 bilingual teachers a year.
"We don't even credential enough to meet the demand for San Diego, and we have a lot of people from out of state and throughout the state who call us," she told the Associated Press. "My phone rings off the hook."
To speed up teacher preparation, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing , which will allow 黑料吃瓜 to develop programs through which students acquire both an undergraduate degree and a teaching credential in four years. Right now, it takes at least five years to graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree and teaching credential.
In recent years, dual language programs have thrived in more affluent areas of the state. Thanks to Prop. 58, children throughout California may soon have access to an education in languages other than English.
鈥淲e know that multilingualism is a real asset in the global society that we live in so we need to make sure that all students regardless of their socio-economic background have access to these dual language programs,鈥� .
