What does CUP stand for in the context of bilingual education?

In the context of bilingual education, the term "CUP" stands for "Common Underlying Proficiency." This concept, introduced by linguists Jim Cummins, refers to the idea that the skills and knowledge that students acquire in their first language can be transferred to their second language. Essentially, it suggests that students possess a foundational proficiency that is common across languages, which supports their ability to learn and use a new language more effectively.

This concept underlines the importance of maintaining and developing a child's first language while they are learning a second language. It posits that rather than learning each language in isolation, students can enhance their overall language skills through bridging proficiency from one language to another. This understanding informs effective bilingual education practices, emphasizing the value of a child's native language in promoting literacy and academic success in a second language.

The other options, while they might sound plausible in educational contexts, do not represent the established linguistics theory of language proficiency in bilingual education as accurately as "Common Underlying Proficiency" does. Thus, it stands out as the correct answer.