Hey friends! Very excited about you reading this post! It has been my dream to start DualatiEdu, and this blog is where it all begins, where I will answer why helpful bilingual education teaching blogs are needed.
What does Dualati mean? Dual – means two parts or elements -lati is part of the word latino/a/. Think about the word ‘duality’ in meaning and pronunciation as it represents who we are.
Dualati – A Blog for Bilingual Education Teachers
Bilinguals experience living in two cultures, speaking two languages, and have two perspectives of the world, yet it does become just one – unique to each based on their personal experience. It is not one language or the other, but a mix of both unique to each person.
Bilingual Experience
My experience as a bilingual is two-fold, first, as someone who always spoke two languages at home, and second, as a bilingual teacher and administrator. This experience and what I have learned in a Bilingual / Bicultural Master’s program is what I intend to share with you!
So, to honor that space of duality, I have designed this bilingual education teaching blog. I aim to provide teachers with a shared space, training, and resources to help their students navigate their education in two languages. The goal is to provide authentic lessons to address the pain point many bilingual teachers face, “Is there a Spanish version to this lesson?”
How can bilingual education benefit our students? Some studies address this question, but I want to offer my perspective as a bilingual teacher, school administrator, and graduate of a Masters’s degree in Bilingual / Bicultural Education.
Benefits of Bilingual Education
A- A global perspective
“That’s a great show!” I uttered after watching a show filmed in Spain. Movie streaming services abound, and the world is at our fingertips. How many great options of shows made in other countries such as Spain, Argentina, or Mexico have you watched? If the answer is none, get to it! There are real gems of cinema to be enjoyed if we broaden our scope!
B- Cognitive Shift and Working Memory
Bilinguals constantly make mental shifts. Since they are young, they shift from one language, culture, and social parameters to another. Some studies show that bilinguals have an increased ability to make cognitive shifts and have an increased working memory than their monolingual counterparts.
C- Broader economic opportunities
Biliteracy and bilingualism allow for more opportunities to navigate our current global economy. If you can do what others can AND do so in two languages, your probability of getting hired increases.
D- Better communication
Knowing how to string coherent sentences in a language is not what I would consider fluent in another language. We also need to understand the cultural nuances to make ourselves understood.
Why we need bilingual education teaching blogs now more than ever
We need to ensure that teachers have the appropriate training and resources to deliver bilingual lessons efficiently. Blogs are a great way to share ideas!
Training in biliteracy best practices and English as Second Language strategies are crucial to a successful bilingual education program. Resources that are culturally relevant and engaging are not abundant but are vital to delivering a fantastic bilingual lesson. Dualati seeks to alleviate the load for teachers in having to search or write their resources.
My goal is to write content that provides practical strategies, tips, and best practices for bilingual teachers and ready-to-use printable and digital resources.
I can’t wait for you to join me in this bilingual journey!
