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Rosa Pedalino Porter's American Story: Her Life In Three Languages, But Only One Country
By Athena Kerry
After arriving in the US at the age of 6, one of a large Italian family in which no English was spoken, little “Rosa Pedalino di Littleton Avenueâ€
When I started kindergarten I was unable to speak English at all. There was no such thing as English as a second language back then. I almost failed grade one because not only was I learning what the other kids were but I was also learning the language. My teacher felt sorry for me as I was not doing that bad in many areas so she gave me extra work to do during one of the recesses. I ended up passing and by middle school they were ready to skip a gradeeven though I missed a third of the school year due to illness. The reason is because I had become accustomed to working harder than others. This English as a second language is nothing more than spoon feeding students and giving them As when they don't deserve them. They end up going to college and require remedial help once there.