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 e7NF7a829578; Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:07:36 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:07:36 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <009201c00d14$2636b380$1100000a@maria01> 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: "Maria Elena Gonzalez" <maria@alri.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:4885] Re: NYTimes article on Bilingual Education X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5549 Lines: 118 Kay, you are right on the money with your assessment of the underlying issues in the bilingual education controversy especially when it comes to class. Many middle class and most upper class people know the value of learning and knowing at least a second language but want to keep it for themselves. I remember the confusion and rage my friends and I felt in High School (about 25 years ago in a small parochial school in Boston,MAss/)when we were not allowed to take Spanish as a foreign language because "you already know it"...nevermind that many of us had come to this country at a young age and others had been born here!...I'll never forget the Spanish teacher...she was young, American and never spoke to us Latino kids...we figured she was too embarrassed about her thick accent!. Our guidance counselor and teachers never told us that knowing Spanish was a resource that we could use for careers, yet the Anglo kids were constantly told to learn Spanish so as to be more marketable. This and similar experiences have left a bitter taste in my mouth...I cringe whenever mostly well-meaning people say to me...Oh, can I practice my Spanish with you! My son currently attends a two-way bilingual public school which is highly regarded in our area (and very sought after!). However, they are under a lot of pressure to have the kids become literate in English so they can pass citywide tests. Finally, I believe there is a lot of fear associated with the rise of Spanish speaking immigrants in this country. It is such an absurd fear in my view given the supremacy that the English language has worldwide (as ESOL teachers we know this well). I've never met a Latino/a who didn't express a desire to know English. What is perhaps different about us is that we are also proud of our native language and think it's as good as English and want to preserve it. Actually, I've also never met an immigrant from another country who didn't think so as well. Maria E. Gonzalez Adult Literacy Resource Institute/SABES-Boston 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 >
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