Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id UAA10775; Sat, 27 Jun 1998 20:04:59 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 20:04:59 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <35958795.6FF4@cyberhighway.net> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Greg & Connie Panike <grecopa@cyberhighway.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2020] Re: (no subject) X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.04Gold (Win95; I) I also feel sad that the language and culture of my grandparents was not passed down to our family. Whenever my Grandmother would try to teach her children some Swedish or pass on a Swedish tradition, Grandpa would say, "Stop that. We are Americans now!" He taught his children to be very patriotic Americans, but I feel that something was lost. I teach a Family Literacy/ESL program. I often tell the older children how lucky they are to have two languages. I believe that it can really open doors for them. My class is multi-level to the extreme, and I think in this situation it is necessary to traslate at times, or some students feel completely left out. I have a bilingual aide who is very helpful. I sometimes ask my students to repeat things in Spanish in order to tell if they are understanding. Also, in our community, there are many people who have no literacy in their own language. I believe that people need to at least learn the basics of reading in their own language before they are ready to learn to speak, read, and write English. Since my program is family literacy, I believe that we increase the chances of childrens' success in school just by increasing the amount of print material they see in the home, regardless of the language. I would also like to let others know about the bilingual program at the Ontario--8-C--School District in Oregon. We have something called "Language Academy." 12 Spanish speakers and 12 English speakers are admitted each year. It is a very language-rich program. Everything is taught in both English and Spanish. Students are constantly singing or chanting or reciting in both languages. So we have lots of little six- and seven-year-olds in town who are bilingual. I know this program is really developing thinkers. We can't wait to see their SAT scores in a few years. The person in charge of this program is named Luigi Yannota, and he's principal at Aiken School. Respectfully, Connie Panike Bennie Siemens wrote: > > Char Ulman et.al. nifl subcribers. Interesting topic on language > preservation. I teach ESL in Ogden ,Utaj. My class consists almost > entirely of spanish speakers. I have few persons who stay any length of > time but I remain hopeful for the advanced english group. I have fostered > a friendly atmosphere and I do allow spanish speaking during breaks and > in the first half hour of attendence. How do you order a group of adults? > I don't want to. I told them that my husband's family had lost their > primary language (German and Dutch) and I didn't want them to do the > same. I was roundly denounced at a teacher conference I attended at Park > City in October. I still think I'm right. World War Two was the catalist > in my husband's family's case. Though what they ever had to do with the > real Germany remains obscure but the language was discarded by their > Mennonite group. It is a great loss especially in the field of sacred > music. I have learned German at University and am a student of Bach on > the Organ. I have been a teacher and translator of ancient German records > for my church. The struggle to maintain this connection along with my > husband's writing of eight books about the family is an ongoing thing. > It is however, very "Germanless" in culture. > One of my students said that my class is like belonging to a family, I > foster good feelings and parties at several times. American holidays as > well as Mexican ones. We love Columbus because they do... My student from > Columbia was terribly upset about this countrys attitude vis a vis > Columbus. Myself? He was inevitable ( it was going to happen anyway, so > why the guilt?) The past you can do nothing about.. only today and maybe > the future and then... not a lot about that. As for my influence, perhaps > somehow I may be able to prevent world war three here since the Anglo > community hate these people, and refuse to look at things AS THEY ARE > NOW. I do speak Spanish, it's beautiful, I hope my students retain theirs > but I have seen a lot of language extinction, but it's a battle to keep a > bi-lingual family. As per English, it is now an international language > and that must be recognized too. I lived 7 years in the far east and I > saw that happening there. Only aquisition of English will enable people > to function in the real world, not in some kind of fantasy. > Yours, Jean Siemens< bjsie@slkc.uswest.net
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