Return-Path: <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id OAA17293; Tue, 16 May 2000 14:43:17 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 14:43:17 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <s9215d3e.058@SMTP_CENTRAL> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Peter MacMonagle" <peter_macmonagle@cpcc.cc.nc.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WORKPLACE:3534] [NIFL-ESL:4465] Re: "English"-only names X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.5.3 Status: O Content-Length: 1077 Lines: 25 I believe that Susan is right. this may be a cute classrrom practice overseas, but it strikes me as cultural imperialism none the less. I would no sooner change the names of my students (except for role play or dialog practice) than I would change my own so I could teach in another country or learn another language. Peter >>> Swr629@aol.com 05/16 1:04 PM >>> Perhaps it was an EFL situation described originally, but the practice is alive and well here in ESL classes and other language classes as well. My daughter came home and told me that her Spanish teacher gave her the name Juanita. My daughter said, "Mom, doesn't Eliza just get pronounced differently in Spanish? What did they call you when you lived in Mexico, Mom, Susanna or Conchita?" The practice is used in EFL and ESL classes. It is demeaning and unnecessary. If Americans can't pronounce "foreign" names perhaps it is they who own the problem and need to address diversity in this country in order to solve it. Susan Rowley ESL Specialist St. James ESL Program Seattle, WA Sjesl2@aol.com
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