This course is designed to enable students to develop an awareness and understanding of foundational issues of Bilingual Education and bilingualism. Students learn about the legal and legislative foundations of bilingual education in the United States. Histories and policies that have shaped bilingual education in the US is also a focus of the course. Students learn to apply knowledge of cognitive effects of bilingualism and biliteracy to instructional plans. Tenets of bilingualism are reviewed, including the Common Underlying Proficiency construct to understand transferability of skills, understandings and strategies from primary to target language. Students develop skills to promote authentic parent participation to ensure parents are viewed as a critical resource toward ensuring strong bilingualism and biliteracy development.