FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

Which educational approach focuses on maintaining a student's first language while acquiring a new one?

1. Immersion model

2. Maintenance bilingual education

3. Submersion model

4. Transitional bilingual education

The correct answer is: Maintenance bilingual education

The approach that focuses on maintaining a student's first language while acquiring a new one is maintenance bilingual education. This educational strategy emphasizes the development and preservation of both the native language and the second language, allowing students to become proficient in both. It aims to promote bilingualism and biliteracy, contributing to cultural identity and academic achievement in two languages. In this model, students receive instruction in both languages and are encouraged to use their first language as a tool for learning, which helps enhance cognitive skills and reinforce understanding of concepts across languages. This contrasts with approaches like immersion, where the primary focus is on the new language, often at the expense of the native language. Likewise, submersion typically does not support the first language at all, placing students into an English-only environment which can be challenging for those not yet proficient in English. Transitional bilingual education supports the shift to English but only temporarily uses the first language as a bridge to English, rather than maintaining and developing it over the long term.