Foundations for Bilingual Education

Catalog description

This foundational and clinical practice course explores the theoretical and conceptual foundations of bilingual education, focusing on language acquisition, sociolinguistics, literacy development, culture, and educational policy. Relay students examine first and second language acquisition theories, bilingual language development, curriculum, and assessment. Through the study of linguistic systems and academic language, the course emphasizes the role of language in schools. Sociocultural perspectives provide insight into how identity, power, and policy influence bilingual learners’ experiences. Grounded in research and theory, this course prepares Relay students to support the linguistic, cultural, and academic needs of bilingual students through informed, reflective practice.