Inna Titova

When we talk about bilingual education, we often focus on academic outcomes—literacy, cognitive development, or long-term success. But in my experience, its most powerful impact is something much more personal: keeping families connected.

As a Russian bilingual teacher, I've seen firsthand the deep emotional weight that newcomer families carry. Other bilingual teachers—whether they work in Russian, Spanish, or any other language—witness the same thing in their classrooms every day. This experience is shared by many educators who work closely with students new to this country.

Parents of these students face immense pressure. They've made the brave and difficult decision to leave their home country behind—leaving friends, family, and everything familiar. Once here, they take on huge responsibilities: they must provide emotional stability, financial support, and help their children adjust to an entirely new life. As an immigrant myself, I experience this pressure every single day—even after almost twenty years of living in the U.S. Most families arrive with little or nothing: no money, no connections, no support system, and often without the language. And yet, they are expected to work twice as hard to build stability—not for themselves, but for their children. One quote that has stayed with me through all these years comes from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that.” This is the reality so many of our families live. And this is the quote I live by.

While they are doing everything they can for their children, the painful truth is that there’s often no one supporting them. Many times, I’ve found myself being that person they felt safe enough to cry to, to share their doubts and fears, their guilt and exhaustion. As strange as it might sound, some parents have come looking for reassurance—longing for someone to tell them it’s not their fault, that they’re doing their best. And above all, they carry a quiet, aching hope: the hope that they can at least fix one thing—keeping the connection between their children and the family they left behind.

Young children are incredibly adaptive. They pick up English quickly through play, social interactions, and exposure at school. But what often gets overlooked is what happens to their first language. If it isn’t nurtured and supported, children begin to lose it within just a couple of years. This process—called language attrition—can have far-reaching consequences beyond academics.

When students begin to lose their home language, it often leads to something heartbreaking: a communication breakdown between generations. Kids become less comfortable speaking their L1, and conversations with parents, grandparents, or extended family—especially those still overseas—become strained. Eventually, they may stop talking altogether. Parents blame themselves, feeling guilty for a loss they couldn’t prevent. And it's not just hard on the parents—the grandparents suffer too. They feel the pain of losing connection with their grandchildren, who they love and miss dearly. I’m familiar with this situation personally, as an immigrant myself. My family is split between Ukraine and Russia, and despite everything happening in that part of the world, our goal has always been to be there for each other—to care, to stay together, even if it’s only virtually. It’s deeply important to me that my parents and my sister, who live in Ukraine, and my children, who were born and raised here in the U.S., really know each other. That our lives stay intertwined. That we remain a family across borders and generations. And that’s what I want, with all my heart, for every family I’ve met—every family trying to build a life here while holding onto the one they left behind.

Bilingual education offers more than academic success. It helps maintain the vital bridge between home and school, between generations and cultures. It gives children the tools to thrive in English while keeping their heritage language alive. And with that, they stay connected to their traditions, their family stories, their identity.

Socially, it empowers students to communicate confidently with the people who love them most. Emotionally, it tells them they don’t have to choose between worlds—they can belong to both. And academically, it builds a stronger foundation for literacy, cognitive development, and long-term achievement.

This is why bilingual education matters. Not just in the classroom, but in living rooms and family phone calls and holiday gatherings. It keeps families together—in every sense of the word.