Page 17 - ELG1705 May Issue 447

NEWS

BILL DE BLASIO

Bill de Blasio and his wife talking with parents outside a public school in Brooklyn

By: Andrea Pérez student’s native language to
A major expansion of bilingual English, the DoE said.
programmes in New York sends New York ‘Bilingual programmes are
‘a clear message’ that ‘all families’ critical for the 150,000 English
are welcome in the state school language learners who attend
system, the city’s mayor has said. goes public school in New York City.
In the biggest expansion As a former ELL myself, I know
since 2010, the New York City the many benefits that come
(NYC) schools chancellor with being bilingual,’ Carmen
Carmen Fariña has announced bilingual Fariña told the newspaper.
that 68 new dual language and The DoE says it will also
transitional bilingual education support schools when they
programmes will be added from recruit bilingual teachers and
this September. welcome all families in our school ‘This expansion will give will offer a programme to help
For the first time, the system,’ he added. hundreds of ELLs access to high- certified teachers with language
department of education will According to the department quality bilingual programmes, skills obtain their bilingual
introduce an Urdu bilingual of education (DoE), every preparing them for real-world certificate.
programme in addition to opening school offering a dual-language experiences and success in the Engaging the families of ELLs
new programmes in Chinese, programme will receive a $20,000 classroom and beyond,’ Carmen is seen as an important part
Russian, Arabic, French, Bengali planning grant, and each school Fariña told US-based newspaper of the bilingual programme
and Spanish. opening a transitional bilingual The Indian Panorama. expansion. The department is
‘We are a city of immigrants programme will receive a $10,000 The new programmes include increasing its efforts to ensure
that is stronger because of our planning grant. 39 dual-language programmes, that families of ELLs ‘are well-
different cultures and languages,’ Additional material, services and which provide classroom informed and provided with
said NYC’s mayor Bill de Blasio. support to strengthen teaching of instruction in both English resources to help their children
‘This bilingual expansion will English language learners (ELLs) and another language, and 29 succeed’, the DoE said. It has
provide thousands more students will be provided by a new funding transitional bilingual education increased resources for families,
with high-quality programmes formula. The total cost of the programmes. These gradually including expanding translation
and sends a clear message that we initiative will top $1.1 million. switch instruction from a and interpretation services.

‘PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF EVERY STUDENT TO ATTEND SCHOOL’

By: Andrea Pérez programmes, and the city hopes to have every English
language learner in a bilingual programme by 2018, the
New York Schools chancellor Carmen Fariña is the Chalkbeat news organisation reported.
daughter of a Spanish immigrant and a successful former In a letter to students and families, Fariña said the DoE
elementary school principal. and the Mayor’s Office were ‘committed to protecting
She has overseen the opening of ninety bilingual the right of every student in New York City to attend
programmes across the city in the last three years, public school, regardless of immigration status’. NYC is
according to the DoE. the largest school district in the United States, serving 1.1
Carmen Fariña By September 2017 there will be 507 bilingual million students in over 1,800 schools.

editorial@elgazette.com 17

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