The goals of bilingual education and its relationship to education are examined, and a model for bilingual education is proposed. A definition of bilingual education is emerging that permits the child to choose the mode of communication with which he is most comfortable. Cognitive psychology and its emphasis upon the child's active interactions with his environment is a strong argument for supporting mother-tongue instruction. Bilingual education designed as an integrated curriculum that is child-centered rather than teacher-centered is advocated. This model is designed to maximize cognitive growth and encourage symbolic activities through interpersonal interactions. All children are encouraged to manipulate their environment and explore their developing conceptualizations. The language that the child knows best is the medium for exploring and working through ideas. The learning of English is most effectively accomplished when children have an opportunity to use it in functional contexts with English-speaking peers. Integrating the curriculum will permit students to become familiar with the interrelationship between the parts of the curriculum and will prepare them to use all forms of language so that they can bring ideas and facts together without letting it interfere with the comprehension of concepts. This means that they will develop a communicative competence along with a cognitive competence. (SW)