Readers of a recent story about Edmonds School District’s dual-language program may be interested in knowing that research consistently supports providing a strong foundation in the first language (“Dual-language program gives Edmonds kids a bilingual education,” The Herald, March 11).

Studies show that learning to read in a language you understand leads to faster literacy development, and those who read better in the first language in early grades read better in English in the upper grades.

Also when children learn subject matter in a language they understand, they know more about math, history, geography etc., and this makes subject matter instruction in a second language more comprehensible.

Students in bilingual programs that include subject matter teaching in the first language and learning to read in the first language, in addition to high-quality English as a second language instruction, acquire English more rapidly than students in all-English immersion programs.

Good work, Edmonds School District!

Stephen Krashen

professor emeritus,

USC Rossier School of Education

Los Angeles, Calif.