ABSTRACT
School psychologists and related service personnel are called upon to determine whether students would benefit from instruction or other services provided in their native languages. In addition, these professionals are expected to be able to provide comprehensive information about bilingual programs and services to those students’ parents. In order to communicate effectively with parents, school psychologists and related professionals must develop an understanding of bilingual education programs and practices. This chapter was designed to meet those needs. The chapter considers the factors that enter into instructional decisions and outlines the developmental, linguistic, psychological, and educational rationales for the use and development of the native language in instruction or to support other learner goals.
