One advantage to bilingual programs is that they accept, encourage and support students' native languages. In a bilingual program, people can feel as though their culture and language are respected, and they do not need to feel shamed about their background or afraid to use words that they are more familiar with. The cultural acceptance and inclusive environment gives students in bilingual programs the chance to feel more at home with their studies and less like outsides.
When a bilingual student is thrown into an all-English-speaking program, he may not be able to keep up at the same pace as the other students in the class. Some of the English words might be complex and leave the student feeling confused. In turn, this can cause the student to fall behind in the program and slow his achievements. A bilingual program, however, gives students the resources they need to succeed academically. Students can get clarification on confusing English words, which can help them progresses in school.
If a person does not have the chance to practice her native language in a program-based setting and is only limited to speaking her language in the home, it is possible that her language knowledge will not develop. Bilingual programs offer the advantage of preserving native languages while teaching English. In turn, these people learn how to speak, read and write two languages instead of one. Such a skill comes in handy when continuing academically and entering the professional world.
Bilingual programs can foster a more positive social experience. Being limited to an English-only environment can be intimidating, causing students to withdraw socially. When people of similar backgrounds are joined together in a program, however, they may be more willing to open up and engage socially. This serves as a useful tool in molding the social development of young students. Bilingual programs aim to prepare students for experiences beyond the program, giving them the foundation for learning how to work in teams, communicate and respond to conflict.