level of proficiency in the second language. Teachers with assimilationist ideologies often encourage students to abandon their native language as it is thought to have little value if any. Instructors may be more inclined to reduce the amount of instruction in the students' native language because they believe that the easiest way to transition to the second language is through consistent use of that language. Another issue encountered in TBE classrooms is that instructors seldom provide an environment in which students can produce the target language. Status Research has shown that many of the skills learned in the native language can easily be transferred to the second language later. This research reflects greater academic progress made by students in Transitional Bilingual Education programs in comparison with those enrolled in many English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. However, research have also showed that transitional bilingual education programs are ineffective when compared to immersion bilingual education programs, such as dual-language immersion and total immersion. As a result, California, Arizona, and Massachusetts are required by law use the Structured English Immersion, a total immersion program, rather than transitional bilingual education programs common elsewhere in the United States. Notes Language education Bilingualism