I was having a hard time looking for a topic or a debate I could talk about on the blog but I recently came across this article on New York Times called “Educating Immigrants: Voices of Experience” which talks about how bilingual programs have helped kids who don’t speak English, perfect the language and how its helped them pass every other subject in school. Not every subject should be taught bilingual in schools but there should definitely be classes with teachers who are bilingual as well that can help students with all their subjects and not just one subject in particular.
Not only does this type of program or class help students, but it also gives people who are bilingual a lot of job opportunities. When my siblings came to the United States, they didn’t know a single word in English because their first language was Spanish. When they were in elementary, they were put in ELD class which are classes that help all and any kid on campus who doesn’t speak English perfectly and that class helped them so much that their English is exceptional to this day and after high school, they were able to get jobs at a hospital as interpreters for patients who only spoke Spanish.
- Ariadna Ayala
I agree that there should be teachers in classes who are willing to help non fluent English speakers. Students who came to America come here for a better opportunity at life and I feel in order to succeed here you need to be able to communicate. If schools put more focus into helping Spanish speakers or anyone who can't speak English fully, it can open a door for a chance of success. These students will be able to apply for better schools and even jobs to help provide and make those that brought them here proud.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to helping those who struggle with English, there should be an emphasis on teaching students other languages from a young age. Most European countries require the pursuit of a foreign language by the age of 9 as well as a second foreign language later on in their lives. Multilingualism is a crucial skill in Europe since it is an exceptionally connected and diverse continent. Learning multiple languages will not only benefit students cognitively, it will also open them up to copious domestic and international jobs. This is especially important considering the increasing cultural diversity of the US.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to speak multiple languages will prove to be a useful skill when looking for a job. There are some schools that already have teachers who teach in both English and Spanish. If we were to open this to all public schools then it could be a great chance for students and teachers to be exposed to not only a new language but also a new culture.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very important topic because people have different opportunities in life and sometimes aren't so lucky. I had a kid in my English class who was new and he couldn't understand the teacher. The teacher would let him use his phone to translate but it never helped.
ReplyDeleteIf the teacher was familiar with Spanish he could have gotten some help but he didn't. So now there is just of year of learning that he missed out on and a class failed, but that could have easily been avoided if the teacher was just a little familiar with the language.
-Kayla Abdur-Rahim