Bilingualism

Bilingualism Historical Trajectory in Puerto Rico

  • Spanish American War in Puerto Rico

    John Eaton, ex Educational Commissioner and his helper Dr. Clark Established that Puerto Rican teachers had to learn English. Those who learned it had the advantage of being hired for teaching.
  • Period: to

    Political changes, Department of Education Reestructure, and Establishment of Bilingualism Set up in Schools

  • Establishment of The Public Instrucion Department

    The Public Instruction Department of Puerto Rico is created with an assigned commissioner
  • consevatives rules

    The educational policy was to conserve Spanish and to acquire English: Spanish in the primary grade and English as a separate class.
  • intensification of English

    The use of English was intensified as a mean to convert it in the official language of the schools in Puerto Rico
  • Investment in scholarshps for teachers

    Five hundred and forty Puerto Rican teachers are sent to the universities of Cornell and Harvard to study.
  • Spanish us is abolished in schools

    Spanish use is suppressed and English is used as the mean of teaching in all the school grades.
  • more English teachers

    English teachers flourished making it possible to establish the English language as the base with a high enrollment of students
  • Introduction of Spanish again

    Spanish is used in first grade for some classes like, Hygiene, Health, and Reading.
  • new law abot Spabish use

    • A law is introduced to make Spanish the teaching language in Puerto Rico.
  • Structure of Spanish curriculum

    Spanish was established as the mean of teaching from first to fourth grade. From fifth grade English would be used in half of the classes and Spanish in the other half
  • American citizenship for PRicans

    The political controversy continues; WWI starts and the American citizenship was given to the Puerto Ricans. It was asked to teach the children about patriotism.
  • English Inmersion Programs

    Juan B. Huyke became Instruction Commissioner. In that moment more emphasis was given to English and it was encouraged to be used at all times in order to learn it. The teachers and students were asked to use English even outside of the classroom. The books were published in English. The printing of Spanish materials was prohibited
  • Spanish as th mean of Instruction again

    Jose Padin established English as a foreign language in a pedagogical perspective. He encouraged using Spanish as the mean of instruction. English was emphasized as a second language with many programs.
  • English Inmersion Enforcement

    • President Roosevelt complained that Puerto Ricans had not learned English after 38 years of American occupation. He wanted all the education to be given in English so that the next generation could know English.
  • Separated subjects

    Spanish prevailed as the mean of instruction up to the sixth grade and English continued as a separate subject.
  • Spanish enforcement

    The vernacular Spanish was to be used as the mean of instruction up to the ninth grade.
  • Spanish prevails

    Dr. Mariano Villaronga put an end to the bilingual debate by stating that Spanish was to be used in all school levels starting in the 1949-50 school year. This prevails today
  • support to bilingual returnees

    The Public Instruction Department and the universities have requested funds for the support of students who are returnees from the United States.
  • catholic church bilingual projects

    Father Rufo and Pope John XXIII Bilingual Projects are established in Puerto Rico.
  • English Department inherits bilingualism responsibility

    The Bilingual Education Program, already established, stops being a program and their projects were transferred to the English Department
  • Spanish only

    Spanish only
    Under the government of Rafael Hernandez Colon the "Spanish Only" was approved as, Law Number 4, April 5, 1991.
  • Rosello enforces a law for 2 official languages

    Rosello enforces a law for 2 official languages
    Under the government of Pedro Rosello Law Number 1 January 28, 1993 it was proclaimed as official languages of the island both, English and Spanish
  • Establishment of Bilingual Schools

    The Bilingual Citizen Project established various bilingual schools in the Island. Among the ones that survived is the Antonio González Suárez in Añasco.
  • Fortuno bilingual initiatives

    Fortuno bilingual initiatives
    There are new bilingual initiatives in Puerto Rico under the BEC-21 and ES-21 projects.