The process of teaching students using two languages is called Bilingual Education.
The educators usually teach students in their native language in conjunction with a second language using differing levels of the native and second language depending on the requirements specified in lesson plans and teaching models. Here are common bilingual education models employed in public school schools, charter schools and private institutions across the United States.
Transitional Bilingual Education. This type is designed to help students learning a new language pick it quicker and make the transition to begin learning math, science, and other subjects in English. Students begin receiving instruction in their native language and eventually become weaned off it and being learn entirely in English.
Two-Way or Dual Language Immersion Bilingual Education. These programs are intended to assist English and non-English speaking students learn to speak and write in a second language. In the United States, most students enrolled in dual language immersion programs will be a 50/50 mix of English and Spanish speakers. These programs are not very popular in the United States, but research has shown that non-English speaking students taking advantage of these programs effectively learn how to write and speak in English. Not only do non-English speakers benefit from these programs, but English speakers do as well. Non-English and English speaking students learn together in dual immersion bilingual education programs.
Another type of dual language program teaches students using the following steps: 1) Teachers instruct students in a second language but are able to understand students when they must ask questions in their native languages. However, teachers respond to questions in the language students are learning; and 2) Students continue to take literacy and language improvement classes in their native language since it has been proven that skills learned in these classes can be applied to classes where students receive instruction in a second language. Students enrolled in these programs are not taught non-language related subjects in their native language. They will continue to be taught these subjects in a second language. This way, students will only receive grammar and language instruction in their native language, so it can be later applied to their foreign language instruction.
Late-Exit or Developmental Bilingual Education. Students are taught in their native language for a period of time, simultaneously, they are learning a new language. This way, students improve literacy in their first language, which makes it possible for them to later apply this knowledge to the foreign language instruction they’re receiving.