Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id e7NEVZ825723; Wed, 23 Aug 2000 10:31:35 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 10:31:35 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <39A3DDF5.8EDEC4@ix.netcom.com> Errors-To: listowner@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: Marguerite Lukes <mlukes@ix.netcom.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4882] Re: NYTimes article on Bilingual Education X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 [en] (Win95; I) Status: O Content-Length: 4272 Lines: 106 You can find the article in question at: http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/082000ca-bilingual-edu.html Marguerite Lukes Maria Elena Gonzalez wrote: > I would love to be able to read this article. Is there anyway it can be > scanned and distributed to this list? Thanks. > > Maria E. Gonzalez > Adult Literacy Resource Institute/SABES-Boston > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kay Taggart" <kayt51@hotmail.com> > To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2000 9:03 AM > Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4876] NYTimes article on Bilingual Education > > > Yes, I read the article and I think that the underlying language and tone > > presented within is truly racist, classist and short-sited. Of course, > this > > is nothing new. However, THIS article is really a keeper -- one to use in > > professional development to show how issues can be presented in a way that > > makes oppression sound like a gift from the policy makers to the poor. > > > > I understand that bilingual education is often poorly carried out. I > > understand that California faces a huge challenge with so many languages > in > > each school. I understand that many people have learned to speak English > in > > immersion environments. I am not surprised that test scores have gone up. > > However, I also understand that we are now doing billions of dollars of > > manufacturing/trade etc. with other countries, and that bilingualism is > now > > an asset, and may soon be a requirement of successful participation in the > > workworld. > > > > All of the examples in the article focused on Spanish and Hispanic kids. > It > > seems that the underlying theme here is that we feel some incredible need > as > > a nation to rip the Spanish language out from under low-income Hispanic > kids > > and replace it as soon as possible with English. What is not discussed at > > all is that upperclass people are working hard to put their kids in > private > > and alternative schools where they can gain a second language early. This > > seems to me a very blatant way to reproduce/maintain the socio-economic > > status quo. The end of the article had a truly horrendous quote in which a > > little girl said that "now" when her friends come from Mexico to visit, > she > > can't communicate with them. I don't think this something to be proud of. > > It makes me ashamed. > > > > As a side note, in El Paso, "dual language" programs are growing like > crazy. > > Instead of "weaning kids off Spanish" (from the article), the dual > > language programs help kids develop full literacy in both languages -- and > > it doesn't stop in the third or fourth grades. The Alicia Chacon > Languages > > School in the Ysleta ISD began a few years ago. It goes through the 8th > > grade and teaches English and Spanish all the way through AND adds in a > > third language that the families choose. Attesting to its popularity, > > hundreds of kids are on the waiting list, and more and more elementary > > schools are adding dual language classes at each grade. This approach > sees > > language teaching as an additive not a subtractive process. Hopefully kids > > in dual language programs will emerge with language tools and other skills > > that will help them become full participants in the global society and > > economy. > > > > Kay Taggart > > El Paso > > > > > > >From: joann m boss <esl108b@juno.com> > > >Reply-To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov > > >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > > >Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4875] NY Times article on Bilingual Education > > >Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 08:17:11 -0400 (EDT) > > > > > > > > >Hi, > > >Did anyone read the NY Times article on bilingual education, Sunday, > > >August 20? What are your thoughts? > > >It seems to me that Oceanside is trying to put a nail in a coffin. > > > > > >JoAnn Boss > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ > > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com > > -- Marguerite Lukes, Director New York City Professional Development Consortium 84 William Street, 14th floor New York, NY 10038 Ph: 212.803.3322 Fax: 212.785.3685 e-mail: nycpdc@lacnyc.org http://www.lacnyc.org/pdc
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