本文通过追溯美国双语教育的历史演变过程，进而探讨影响美国双语教育发展变化的内在因素，并试图揭示美国双语教育的本质、发展趋势以及对我国双语教育实践的借鉴意义。全文主要分以下三个部分：第一部分，介绍美国双语教育不同的发展阶段：自由发展时期、限制时期、短暂的黄金时期和式微时期。揭示不同发展阶段美国双语教育的基本状况、特点，并重点指出目前美国双语教育式微现状及其所面临的挑战。第二部分，笔者运用政治、经济、文化以及教育评价等方面视角和理论对美国双语教育发展过程中一波三折现象进行分析，揭示美国双语教育演变的深层次动因。自由平等信念、实用主义观念和多元文化思想在促进双语教育发展方面起到了积极作用，而不同时期的民族主义思潮、反多元文化思想以及消极的双语教育评价活动则会阻碍其发展。第三部分，主要论述了美国双语教育中的两个基本问题——美国双语教育为谁服务和美国双语教育能否继续存在。从价值观层面上进一步弄清美国双语教育的根本目的是同化移民。由于广泛的社会基础和经济基础，美国的双语教育会在曲折中继续存在并与所发展。同时从目前我国存在的不同双语教育类型——国家双语教育和民族双语教育出发，分析其经验和教训对我国的适用性。

The dissertation explores the intrinsic factors affecting evolution of American bilingual education, and attempts to reveal the nature and ought-to-be trends of it, Expecting to do something important to Chinese bilingual education. The dissertation is divided into three parts:The first part describes the four stages of American bilingual education: free development stage, dismissive stage, short-high development stage and decline stage. The dissertation explores the situation and nature of American bilingual education in different stages, and especially discusses the chance of American bilingual education at present.The second part analyzes the evolution of American bilingual education, using the aspects and theories on politics, economy and education evaluation, in order to explore the deep-seated roots that affect American bilingual education in different stages. The ideas of freedom-equality, pragmatism and multi-culture promotes the development of the bilingual education, and the thought of nationalism, anti-multiculture or negative evaluation can impedes it’s development.The third part expounds two basic issues which are who American bilingual education services for and whether it will be going on. The author argues that the essential aim of American bilingual education is assimilating immigrants. Because of the wide-ranging social and economic bases, it will be going on and development though difficult. By analyzes the evolution and deep-seated roots of American bilingual education, it will be important to the development of Chinese national and local bilingual education.