Educating Emergent Bilinguals: Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners (2nd ed.)

This review of Educating Emergent Bilinguals: Policies, Programs, and Practices for English Learners (2nd edition) by Ofelia Garcia and Jo Anne Kleifgen (2018) highlights the key themes of the benefits of bilingual education, instruction that leverages family language practices, and the disconnect between research and practice in the education of emergent bilinguals in U.S. schools. The book chapters follow a framework that covers important issues that impact emergent bilinguals, investigates current inequitable practices, and advocates for alternative practices that better serve emergent bilinguals, citing evidence to show how these practices are beneficial. Examples of these alternative practices for emergent bilinguals include support of translanguaging in the classroom, the use of performance-based assessments that distinguish between language and content proficiency, and more access to advanced academic classes. The review links these key themes to important current educational issues, including interrupted instruction from the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid increase in early literacy screening throughout the U.S. The review concludes by highlighting a bilingual Pre-K program in Syracuse, NY, that supports linguistically diverse students through equitable teaching practices and family engagement.