Some stereotypes made towards bilingual education are that ... if these non-speaking students are
Some stereotypes made towards bilingual education are that ... if these non-speaking students are
I have witnessed discrimination and bullying within my school because of it. I often see students being ridiculed, called out, and reprimanded for speaking a language besides the dominant English. To me bilingualism represents a mixture of both Espada and Rodriguez’s arguments, it not only connects the speakers family and heritage, but also communicating within the society. I don't necessarily see all of the “issues” that Spanish speakers face, but I can recognize that it could be hard for a person to be ridiculed for speaking a language. I agree with Rodriguez on bilingual education, that English should be taught and required in schools.…
Discrimination against bilinguals manifests in the issue of bilingual education. I support bilingual education and access to it. Lack of access to bilingual education inhibits bilinguals’ ability to learn. I agree with Espada’s position to teach bilinguals in the language they prefer because doing so grants bilinguals a more equal access to education as English speakers. Providing bilinguals with a more equal access to education is essential in bilinguals’ battle for equality.…
Many teachers don’t have the patient to work with students who speak their household English. They tend to latch off the child and pay attention to those who understand it better. According to Richard Rodriguez’ essay, “Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood” teachers have shown to be tough minded towards students and not care about the difficulties a student may have. “Fortunately, my teachers were unsentimental about their responsibility. What they understood was that I needed to speak a public language” (Rodriguez).…
Rodriguez grew up in a Spanish speaking family thriving and eager to expand his education and vocabulary in the “loud, booming with confidence” English language. According to Rodriguez, bilingual educationists have strong disbelief in the idea that schools should be assimilated with bilingual education because the students lack “a degree of ‘individuality’” This sense of individuality is absent in public society because often your heritage sets you apart from most others around you.…
Rhetorical Analysis: Positivity of Bilingual Education Bilingual education has positively affected foreign children with their overall lives. Kenneth Jost’s, Harvard College and Georgetown University Law Center alumni, article, “Bilingual Education vs. English Immersion” is about the positive significance of bilingual education in public schools. Jeff Bale’s, a language education professor at Michigan State University, article, “Bilingual Education is the Best Approach for English Language Learners” also explains why this type of education is effective for foreign students. Together, both of these authors provide an effective argument with the use of reasoning, credibility, and emotion, but also include logical fallacies. Jost’s and Bale’s…
Even though one common language is important in the connection of this country, the other languages must not go without value. Even though there seems to be a popular “American” culture, the other cultures and values must not go without consideration. All deserve fair representation and opportunities within the public schools as well as in everyday life. As Herschel T. Manual states, “We must courageously attack the difficult problems of building a united community and adjusting education to the needs of children who come to us with differences which challenge our best efforts” (Manuel 639). Through bilingual education, students can feel value in their native language and culture while simultaneously learning English.…
Like many students from Hispanic or Latino heritage, I will be a first generation university student. In my household, higher education was not a possibility for my parents. My mother’s highest education was a high school diploma, and my father’s was middle school. So here I am; in over my head, trying to navigate a system that no one in my sphere of influence has ever navigated before, yet this has never stopped me from my pursuit of college. In doing this, I will further my education, have financial stability, and aid communities.…
Every now and then I also see kids come here from different countries who speak several languages like Russian, Spanish, and etc. Watching them go through ELD I see the struggle going between two languages and being forced to constantly learn and do English homework. They start to lose everything including their language, culture, and identity. Being bilingual is just a choice whether to lose your private identity or…
Most of the participants stated that they had observed no differences. However, there was one participant that had observed some inequities of other ethnic groups by their administrator. P7 was one of the participants that felt her principal treats her just like all of the other teachers by stating, “I have not encountered such. My administrator has always treated me the same as my non-African American counterparts.”…
The second largest influx of immigrants has happened in past two decades. More immigrants are coming to America, in search of a better life for their children (Stepanek, 2010). With this influx of immigrants, comes an influx in the amount of students who are English Language Learners (ELL). According to Stepanek, between the years 2002-2003 and 2007-2008, the Northwest’s yearly growth in English Language Learners was five times faster than the national average (2010). This influx of ELL students is a call for more drastic measures to be taken to make sure that these students are getting the education they need and deserve, yet nothing seems to be getting done.…
Students in bilingual schools not only learn a secondary language, but they learn more about their primary language as well. Krashen writes, “When schools provide children quality education in their primary language, they give them two things: knowledge and literacy” (Krashen). Krashen implies that by having a primary language student have an education advantage. This statement contradicts Rodriguez’s argument.…
Statistics show that the Mexican-American race has the highest number of people that populate the United States, and this demographic continues to grow even more. A Mexican-American is an American of full or partial Mexican decent. My parents, both born in Mexico, migrated to the United States in search of a better future for themselves and children. Because of my Hispanic roots, and my birth in the U.S., I am considered a Mexican-American. As a result of my equivalent exposure to two different cultures, I grew up being bilingual.…
There is no one size fits all when it comes to bilingual education. Programs designed for children to learn English should be chosen for what works best for the family, and their students. Historically, legislators have made decisions for communities without asking the needs of the community. Parents must have a choice in what type of bilingual education their children receive, and should be given all the necessary information to make an informed decision.…
With the right encouragement a bilingual child will not fear to lose his/her cultural roots, this sort of obstacle will just reinforce…
In chapter 8 it discussed a reason why we have to teach a balanced bilingual curriculum in the classroom. The textbook “Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism” by Colin Baker expressed the cognitive theories of bilingualism and the curriculum. There are three theories that make up the cognitive theories for bilingualism; The Balance Theory, The Iceberg Analogy, and The Thresholds Theory. Within the Iceberg Analogy it broke town the 6 parts of the Common Underlying Proficiency. Also within the chapter the book did a great job of discussing the distinctions between basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) and cognitive/academic language proficiency (CALP).…