This research examines bilingual education programs in Spain and Sweden. These programs are described, and program implementations are discussed.
Bilingual education programs in Spain must be considered in both national and international contexts. At a national level, bilingual education programs in Spain are a part of that country's policies addressing the needs and demands of ethnic population groups such as the Basques and the Catalans (Beardsmore, 1993, pp. 197-208). As a member state of the European Community, however, bilingual education programs in Spain represent a part of that country's efforts to comply with the directive of the European Commission requiring the development of linguistic competence at the secondary school level through the LINGUA program (Beardsmore, 1993, pp. 103-120).
One objective of the LINGUA program is the development of competency in three languages in students at the secondary school level (Beardsmore, 1993, pp. 103-120). Choice of languages is left to the discretion of the individual states. Thus, in Catalonia, the Spanish bilingual education policy promotes Catalan as the first language, Castilian as the language of inter-Spanish communication, and either French or English (student choice) as a language of wider communication. The ERAMUS program promoted by the European Commission promotes European integration by enabling university students in one member state to complete some of their studies at a university in another member state. Within the ERAMUS program, students, during their studies at a university outside of their own country, are taught through the medium of a language other than their first language. The ERAMUS program, thus, creates an additional incentive for member states of the European Community to successfully implement bilingual programs through the LINGUA program.
Two bilingual education programs are conducted in Spain to address the needs of minority population ...