ABSTRACT
Curricular issues in dual language bilingual education (DLBE) are varied and include language allocation policies, access to resources and materials to support curriculum implementation, content standards, and curriculum alignment within and across grades. Although the importance of these issues has been noted by practitioners and researchers alike, the empirical research on the curricular dimension of DLBE is largely absent. This chapter reviews the research related to two core curriculum standards in the Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education, broadly defined as curriculum alignment and standards-based instruction. Curriculum alignment issues include vertical and horizontal alignment within and across grades and school levels as well as cross-linguistic coordination. Standards-based instruction has been an important dimension of DLBE as a general education program, but the research shows that it needs to be balanced with language-specific considerations, issues of cultural representation, as well as explicit attention to curriculum that supports DLBE sociocultural goals. The chapter concludes with recommendations for further research in this area.
