Thread: Spanish, English taugh side-by-side

Again, my children's school, Cooke, has a bilingual class for the first time this year. The beginning of the end for this 'jewel in the crown' school (Superintendent's description of the school)? We love our home, neighbors -but the schools may finally be the reason we move...

Two opposing views of this new bilingual class from my board.
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jeo
Average Member 198 Posts
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 12:55:32
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The writing has been on the wall for some time now. Remember last year when we tried to preserve the Cooke/Abbott feeder program and got NOWHERE with the district. Cooke is no loner perceived as a benefit to the Waukegan schools whic is VERY sad.

Not every child or family in Waukegan needs or wants access to nonenglish education. This does not make these families racist or elitists as some have suggested. Yet, the district no longer sees a value in offering a program aimed at students who can and do succeed in a mainstream, English only language program.

So, just what are we preparing these kids for? I do not believe that the majority of American Universities offer programs taught/translated into the Spanish Language. (Yes, I know, not all kids want to go to college but a college degree generally equals a higher paying job which generally equals a higher standard of living.) If the schools were truely concerned with educating the kids for success in the US, they would be doing more to eliminate ESL. In the long run it would benefit the kids more than making them reliant on translators and special education (ESL) programs to get by.


celerity
Average Member 386 Posts
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 13:42:36
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this is a great step the district is taking...tons of research showing that strength in native language facilitates growth in second language, that developing biliteracy skills enhances cognitive flexibility and makes the students more academically adept.

The idea of a dual language immersion model thrills me. Wish it were available when my daughter was young. This is the type of program that enlightened communities push for. There is a huge waiting list in Highland Park and Evanston for their English-only speaking kids to get into this type of program where the students learn both languages simultaneously. It follows the model of many European countries which value bilingualism. Really the only effective way to teach a language in K-12. Rarely do high school kids gain fluency by taking foreign language classes in high school.

Parents should be better educated about the refusal forms and also about the benefits of bilingual education. Purpose of bilingual education is English fluency while maintaining native language skills. It's not a deficit model, but a win-win situation. Biliteracy, which includes English fluency, is the goal.



"Though I may disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it."
--Voltaire--

Originally Posted by noyoucannot

I really resent having Spanish shoved down our throats as though there is no other language in the world worth learning. Why not teach Chinese or some other language?

To Hispanics spanish is the only languge of the world. I cant think of any other languge speakers in America that want to shove their former countries languge down our throats. Its no wonder Hispanics are at the bottom of the economic ladder in America.

Watch it there. I am Hispanic myself. And my parents encouraged me to learn English, French, and German. And they aren't that well educated either. Anyone knows that the more languages you know the better. Do you really think that most Hispanic parents discourage their children from learning both? Hehe.

Originally Posted by Roxas

Watch it there. I am Hispanic myself. And my parents encouraged me to learn English, French, and German. And they aren't that well educated either. Anyone knows that the more languages you know the better. Do you really think that most Hispanic parents discourage their children from learning both? Hehe.

When Hispanic parents insist on bilingual education, that's exactly what they are doing. So yeah, the fact of the ongoing insistence on providing everything from school books to ballots in Spanish demonstrates that there are large numbers of Hispanics who are unwilling to do what the members of every other immigrant community have done, which is quickly learn English so as to join in the great melting pot.

Forcing our children or anyone for that matter to learn Spanish is no different than telling the Illegals and non English speaking immigrants: "We`ll do the assimulating, you can go on doing what ever you want."

I too resent this being forced on our children and us. Let my second language should be MY choice. I know when I was in grade school we learned songs in other languages. Gave us a chance to experience what they were like so you could then CHOOSE the language you wanted to learn. I don't know if it's required now but you used to have to take Latin if you wanted to go to med-school. What about the new immigrants that are comming here with children who don't speak English or Spanish? To me all it is is a ploy to keep the Latinos from having to learn English. I might bother myself to learn a couple of words but they won't be nice ones. I already took French and German and some Latin......so I already qualify as Bi-lingual. I don't need Spanish shoved down my throat. What then......the next wave of immigrants that come here will force yet another language down my throat while singing the praises of being tri-lingual? No thank you. Just point me towards the area of the country where I can live and work and speak English and hear English. I'm tired of feeling like I live in a darned foreign country. I'm desperatly thrilled anymore when there's someone I run across that speaks English. Sad when it's your own country. I figured it would feel like that when I decided to be a world traveler.........not at the local mall or placing an order on the phone.

CrazyBird Wrote:

Code:

I already took French and German and some Latin......so I already qualify as Bi-lingual

Would`nt that be considered, quad-lingual?

Code:

I`m desperatly thrilled anymore when there's someone I run across that speaks English.

Is it that bad in ILL, already? Sounds like California. Maybe we can join the Amish.

Is it that bad in ILL, already? Sounds like California. Maybe we can join the Amish.

My neighborhood was very nice. Now it has a very high Latino population. That in itself would not be bad, but the kids are so disrespectful and they don't abide by the law. They drive around with the music blaring and their cars are loaded with Mexican flags, stickers etc... Even our high school has Latin Kings graffiti on it. No respect. Our police blotter is loaded with Mexican arrests. We moved this summer and it makes me sad when I go back because the new stores going in are in Spanish and it is not being kept up, it is starting to look like a slum. Overall, people seem to be indifferent to the problem. If they are mad, I could not tell. I think they are more disgusted than anything.

Would`nt that be considered, quad-lingual?

It's just enough Latin to cover medical terminology and such so it's not much on the conversation front.

We have ALOT if immigrants here from all over. It's definately not just Latinos not speaking English. It's just a huge miss-mash of languages at the mall. Alot of immigrants in the sales area. Many are trying to speak English but it's very broken and you never really feel quite sure as to whether or not they are understanding the question. I was looking for a book and asked for it. She told me no, no have it. It's just instinct but I really don't think she knew what I asked. So I decided to browse anyway. Sure enough, they had the book. A display of the book. So it wasn't like it was a single copy. Plus usually they plug it in the computer and know instantly whether they have it or not. She never bothered. It just gets frustrating when there's nowhere you can go and feel sure that the information you are getting is right because of the language thing. I'd expect to be sent to law-away instead of the ladies room if I was in a foreign country.......just never counted on it here.

Originally Posted by crazybird

Would`nt that be considered, quad-lingual?

It's just enough Latin to cover medical terminology and such so it's not much on the conversation front.

We have ALOT if immigrants here from all over. It's definately not just Latinos not speaking English. It's just a huge miss-mash of languages at the mall. Alot of immigrants in the sales area. Many are trying to speak English but it's very broken and you never really feel quite sure as to whether or not they are understanding the question. I was looking for a book and asked for it. She told me no, no have it. It's just instinct but I really don't think she knew what I asked. So I decided to browse anyway. Sure enough, they had the book. A display of the book. So it wasn't like it was a single copy. Plus usually they plug it in the computer and know instantly whether they have it or not. She never bothered. It just gets frustrating when there's nowhere you can go and feel sure that the information you are getting is right because of the language thing. I'd expect to be sent to law-away instead of the ladies room if I was in a foreign country.......just never counted on it here.

CRAZY
wouldn't that have been the most opportune time to file a complaint with the manager AND tell him why you would no longer be purchasing books in his store?

It's like that song......."ya gotta take a stand sometime"
{might have butchered the line but you get my meaning}

mho
.