Facts and Myths about Language Learning Essay

“Language is power. If you cannot understand, or be understood you have no power. You are at the mercy of everyone.” - Rudat 1995. Introducing a second language to children throughout their educational careers’ is becoming a new, yet controversial, trend in America. With commodities such as technological advances, urbanization, and international trade, along with the influx of immigrants, there is a higher demand for languages in the workplace as well as public settings. Ultimately, the goal…

There are hundreds of different languages spoken across the globe today. It is interesting to note that the United States, one of the most diverse countries in the world, does not have an official language. While English is what a majority of the American population speaks, it is by no means the only language that can be heard here. In California, specifically Southern California, two of the most widely spoken languages are English and Spanish. Often in the past, scholars as well as regular…

purpose of said edification is to present Cherokee culture to the public, using novel technology to illustrate Cherokee history and traditions. As you may know, there are several misconceptions and myths surrounding this indigenous group; therefore, our goal should be to inform these present generations about the reality of the Cherokee, their relevance as members of this country, and help them appreciate the Cherokee culture. Indigenous groups are part of the of the diversity of our nation.…

experience intense ostracization. Language barriers epitomize the obstacles that those of other cultures must overcome in order to reach true conformity to the American culture, in order to acquire the respect of the masses, a…

Standard The Common Core State Standards have become a controversial topic among teachers, parents, government, and businessmen. Much has been written about the topic which has made it a bit confusing. The Common Core State Standards or CCSS, are a set of expectation or standards that students should be capable of performing in math and English language arts for every grade level. There are currently 45 states that have fully adopted the CCSS. (ABC ) The Common Core State Standards have the…

Knowledge and Ideas cluster includes three informational text standards and two literature standards. The language in the informational text standards discusses students being able to draw from multiple sources to solve problems and to integrate knowledge from two or more texts on the same topic to write or speak about that topic knowledgeably (Cluster 3, n.d.). The last standard in informational text requires students to understand how an author uses reasons and evidence to support points made…

Myths of the Underworld 2.) A. Based on Campbell's chapter, May's chapter, and Alan Watts' videos, reflect on your own attitudes towards death. Do you agree with Watts that “we live in a culture where it has been rubbed into us, in every conceivable way, that to die is a terrible thing” and that we live in a culture in which “death is swept under the carpet”? “Somebody has to die in order for life to emerge.” (p 131, Campbell). It wasn’t until after going through all the videos, articles, and…

The same active learning model and the levels of expectation and involvement of the ELL student should pervade all classes. For this reason, ideally, change toward an active learning instructional model should occur within a school rather than within a single classroom. Gaining a principal's support for an active instructional model is key to this. Even if it is only one teacher or two teachers working together to bring about change into their classrooms, the principal's…

In English classrooms, underneath the readings, essays, and grammar exercises, lies a basic goal that goes far beyond simply improving language skills. This goal is to spark a passion for English, whether it be reading or writing, in the hearts of students. However, this poses a challenge to teachers, as they must find a balance in the classroom that will engage students. It is difficult to create an environment in which students will enjoy English when educational standards have to be me. A…

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz’s ethnography Labor and Legality uses a mixture of narrative, interviews, and observation to educate the reader about the lives of undocumented workers in the United States. Gomberg-Muñoz focuses specifically on a group in Chicago called the Lions and describes how this small group has managed to create their own culture made up of language, social structure, kinship, gender roles, and authority. Often the Lions have to navigate between three different cultures: the one they…