EVALUATING A BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SPAIN: THE IMPACT BEYOND FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

• DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12305
• Publication Date: 2015-11-27T05:54:48Z
• Authors: Brindusa Anghel; Antonio Cabrales; Jesus M. Carro
• Keywords: Bilingual Education; Medium of instruction

Bilingual education programs, which consist of doing a substantial part the instruction in language different from native students, exist several countries like United States, India, and Spain. While economic benefits knowing second are well established, potential effects over learning other subjects have received much less attention. We evaluate program that introduced bilingual (in English Spanish) primary group public schools Madrid region 2004. Under this program, students not only study as foreign but also some (at least Science, History, Geography) taught English. In order to standardized test for all sixth grade on skills considered “indispensable” at age is our measure outcome education. Our results indicate there clearly negative effect exam subject English, children whose parents than upper secondary This composite two phenomena: student's knowledge reflection student ability do their when medium instruction. Although we able separate quantitatively these effects, has relevant interest, because exams taken Spanish measures determine academic progression system. contrast with previous result, no significant anyone mathematical reading skills, were Spanish. ( JEL H40, I21, I28)