Worlds Together ... Words Apart: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Arts-Based Curriculum for Second Language Learners

The objective of this study was to assess whether authentic arts-based(1) curricula facilitate the acquisition of English as a second language (ESL) without sacrificing proficiency in the first language (Spanish). This question is examined theoretically and empirically. First, the use of an arts-based curriculum is positioned within a Vygotskian framework of learning. This overview is organized by 2 themes: (a) the authenticity of the art experience and (b) the emphasis on social interaction and the cognitive mediation among sign systems. Applicable findings from related literature are reviewed and synthesized within each of these themes. Second, results from an exploratory study are presented and analyzed. This study compared 2 classes of ESL 5th graders, 1 of which was taught through an arts-based curriculum, whereas the other was taught using traditional ESL methods. Students were pretested and posttested to assess their 1st language (Spanish) skills and their English and reading skills. Although the study is preliminary, the results suggest that an arts-based curriculum provides significant cognitive advantages to ESL students by building on the cognitive strengths inherent in bilingualism. The semiotic richness of the arts echoes the semiotic abundance available to speakers of more than 1 language, nurturing an ability to approach symbolization in a creative, nuanced way. Whereas traditional ESL programs treat students' 1st languages almost as obstacles to learning (because the educational goal is narrowly defined as proficiency in English), an authentic arts-based curriculum allows students to embrace diverse modes of expression with the result that their expressive abilities grow in a global way.