Enhancing Bilingual Education: Connecting L1 and Target Language

**Enhancing Bilingual Education: Connecting L1 and Target Language**

**The Interconnectedness of Languages**

The assumption that "students' languages should be kept separate" is incorrect because it overlooks the natural connections between a learner's first language (L1) and the target language (TL). It is impossible to completely separate these languages as they are interconnected in the brain. Therefore, teachers should actively promote this connection.

Lambert, Tucker, and Cummins emphasize the importance of extensive communicative interaction and comprehensible input in the TL. While creating separate spaces for each language is beneficial, it is equally crucial to establish a shared space that fosters language awareness and cross-language cognitive processing.

To achieve this, teachers can:

• Focus on cognates
• Utilize dual-language multimedia books and projects
• Facilitate sister class exchanges

**Cummins' Interdependence Hypothesis**

The idea is that all languages exist within a specific context because the strategies used are the same. Cummins' interdependence, or iceberg hypothesis, posits that when a child learns one language, they acquire a set of skills and implicit metalinguistic knowledge that can be drawn upon when learning another language.

Students should be encouraged to recognize that knowledge and skills acquired in one language can be transferred to other languages. These transferable strategies do not need to be relearned. Certain linguistic proficiencies are common across languages, and the abilities needed to communicate are not tied to a specific language.

Therefore, teachers do not need to repeat concepts; they only need to provide the new label. For example, if a child understands the concept of "happiness" in one language, they only need to learn the corresponding word in the other language. Learning becomes more efficient when teachers explicitly highlight the similarities and differences between languages.

**Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP)**

In summary, the CUP model provides the foundation for the development of both the first language (L1) and the second language (L2). Any expansion of CUP that occurs in one language will have a beneficial effect on the other language(s).

**Practical Classroom Activities**

**Brainstorming and Translation**

At the beginning of each unit, conduct a brainstorming session. Students can share their knowledge in their mother tongue and collaboratively translate it into the TL.

**Identifying Cognates**

Encourage students to share words that are similar in both the TL and their L1. For instance, if the word "house" appears in a lesson, a German student might share the equivalent word in their language ("Haus").

**Vocabulary Lists and Games**

Create lists of basic words in each language with their translations. Use these lists to play vocabulary games, such as "Hangman".

**Video Transcription and Translation**

Organize students into groups of 3 or 4 who share the same mother tongue. Provide a link to a video. Each group should transcribe the video, first in their L1 and then in the TL. Students should discuss the best way to approach the translation.

**Comparative Text Analysis**

Read texts written in two languages and compare their structures, noting similar and different constructions, vocabulary, and typical expressions.