Sixth Journal Assignment: Interview Assignment, Summary and Citation - Essay Example

Sixth Journal Assignment: Interview Assignment, Summary and Citation I interviewed Corazon Chavez, a bilingual education teacher from a nearby university. She was referred to me by a friend within my neighborhood as I was asking peers if they knew of anyone who I could interview for my research where the topic was bilingual education. She had been applying the transitional bilingual education for students of Hispanic descent and need to be more fluent in the English language. Chavez has been a bilingual teacher for more than 10 years.

From the interview, I learned that people who choose this endeavor as a profession need to be very patient and creative; as well as innovative in assessing distinct and unique needs of students speaking their native tongue and requiring guidance in developing proficiency in the English language. According to Chavez, each student is different and although the requirements could be evaluated as a general need for competency in communicating in English, the approach and instructional methods for applying bilingual education are diverse.

In transitional bilingual education, for instance, Chavez disclosed that instructions for students to present and discuss different subjects could initially be initiated in the students’ native language. It is therefore within the expertise of the educator to determine the length of time to be spent on honing skills in English through the use of an interplay of instructional methods and approaches that are deemed appropriate for the students’ requirements. The experience is actually very challenging at first, but as time progresses, as one recognizes that students become increasingly adept in learning and communicating in English, the reward is exhilarating.

Works Cited Chavez, Corazon. Bilingual Education 14 November 2011.