OT – Bilingual Education

[GH]

I assume “Spanish” is what is being pushed for. More useful though in the business world, I would prefer to see Chinese taught, or perhaps French or German.

[NotCranky]

http://video.pbs.org/searchForm/?q=speaking+in+tongues

PBS is streaming the videos. The site offers a version with Spanish and a version with Chinese subtitles.
Thanks for posting the topic Brian.

With regards to progress made by English language learners in the programs, I have the following small case study:

We have boys in first grade and second. Both started in kindergarten classes made of 10 Spanish dominant children and 10 English dominant children. I talked with my boys on the way to school and asked them which kids were most bi-literate. Top 5 in both class came from Spanish dominant households. This is totally unofficial but perhaps a good guide. A few of the top students in English come from Spanish dominant households.My older kid can read in English great. For example, he is in the second grade and reads our subscription of National Geographic more than I do. There are a few Native Spanish speakers right there with him. He is a little slower with Spanish than his younger brother but is starting to flourish.

There is a tendency for kids to socialize along racial lines. They are just imitating their parents Hispanic or other wise who have no choice. They do come out of it much more quickly than if they were struggling in English only or some old school bilingual education environment exclusively comprised of one race or limguistic group. Makes sense too because they are sharing and experience with children from the dominant culture from day one.

All programs have problems and I am not the super defender of any of them. It does appear that some of the other posters on this thread are entrenched in something negative.

[NotCranky]

http://video.pbs.org/searchForm/?q=speaking+in+tongues

PBS is streaming the videos. The site offers a version with Spanish and a version with Chinese subtitles.
Thanks for posting the topic Brian.

With regards to progress made by English language learners in the programs, I have the following small case study:

We have boys in first grade and second. Both started in kindergarten classes made of 10 Spanish dominant children and 10 English dominant children. I talked with my boys on the way to school and asked them which kids were most bi-literate. Top 5 in both class came from Spanish dominant households. This is totally unofficial but perhaps a good guide. A few of the top students in English come from Spanish dominant households.My older kid can read in English great. For example, he is in the second grade and reads our subscription of National Geographic more than I do. There are a few Native Spanish speakers right there with him. He is a little slower with Spanish than his younger brother but is starting to flourish.

There is a tendency for kids to socialize along racial lines. They are just imitating their parents Hispanic or other wise who have no choice. They do come out of it much more quickly than if they were struggling in English only or some old school bilingual education environment exclusively comprised of one race or limguistic group. Makes sense too because they are sharing and experience with children from the dominant culture from day one.

All programs have problems and I am not the super defender of any of them. It does appear that some of the other posters on this thread are entrenched in something negative.

[NotCranky]

http://video.pbs.org/searchForm/?q=speaking+in+tongues

PBS is streaming the videos. The site offers a version with Spanish and a version with Chinese subtitles.
Thanks for posting the topic Brian.

With regards to progress made by English language learners in the programs, I have the following small case study:

We have boys in first grade and second. Both started in kindergarten classes made of 10 Spanish dominant children and 10 English dominant children. I talked with my boys on the way to school and asked them which kids were most bi-literate. Top 5 in both class came from Spanish dominant households. This is totally unofficial but perhaps a good guide. A few of the top students in English come from Spanish dominant households.My older kid can read in English great. For example, he is in the second grade and reads our subscription of National Geographic more than I do. There are a few Native Spanish speakers right there with him. He is a little slower with Spanish than his younger brother but is starting to flourish.

There is a tendency for kids to socialize along racial lines. They are just imitating their parents Hispanic or other wise who have no choice. They do come out of it much more quickly than if they were struggling in English only or some old school bilingual education environment exclusively comprised of one race or limguistic group. Makes sense too because they are sharing and experience with children from the dominant culture from day one.

All programs have problems and I am not the super defender of any of them. It does appear that some of the other posters on this thread are entrenched in something negative.

[NotCranky]

http://video.pbs.org/searchForm/?q=speaking+in+tongues

PBS is streaming the videos. The site offers a version with Spanish and a version with Chinese subtitles.
Thanks for posting the topic Brian.

With regards to progress made by English language learners in the programs, I have the following small case study:

We have boys in first grade and second. Both started in kindergarten classes made of 10 Spanish dominant children and 10 English dominant children. I talked with my boys on the way to school and asked them which kids were most bi-literate. Top 5 in both class came from Spanish dominant households. This is totally unofficial but perhaps a good guide. A few of the top students in English come from Spanish dominant households.My older kid can read in English great. For example, he is in the second grade and reads our subscription of National Geographic more than I do. There are a few Native Spanish speakers right there with him. He is a little slower with Spanish than his younger brother but is starting to flourish.

There is a tendency for kids to socialize along racial lines. They are just imitating their parents Hispanic or other wise who have no choice. They do come out of it much more quickly than if they were struggling in English only or some old school bilingual education environment exclusively comprised of one race or limguistic group. Makes sense too because they are sharing and experience with children from the dominant culture from day one.

All programs have problems and I am not the super defender of any of them. It does appear that some of the other posters on this thread are entrenched in something negative.

[NotCranky]

http://video.pbs.org/searchForm/?q=speaking+in+tongues

PBS is streaming the videos. The site offers a version with Spanish and a version with Chinese subtitles.
Thanks for posting the topic Brian.

With regards to progress made by English language learners in the programs, I have the following small case study:

We have boys in first grade and second. Both started in kindergarten classes made of 10 Spanish dominant children and 10 English dominant children. I talked with my boys on the way to school and asked them which kids were most bi-literate. Top 5 in both class came from Spanish dominant households. This is totally unofficial but perhaps a good guide. A few of the top students in English come from Spanish dominant households.My older kid can read in English great. For example, he is in the second grade and reads our subscription of National Geographic more than I do. There are a few Native Spanish speakers right there with him. He is a little slower with Spanish than his younger brother but is starting to flourish.

There is a tendency for kids to socialize along racial lines. They are just imitating their parents Hispanic or other wise who have no choice. They do come out of it much more quickly than if they were struggling in English only or some old school bilingual education environment exclusively comprised of one race or limguistic group. Makes sense too because they are sharing and experience with children from the dominant culture from day one.

All programs have problems and I am not the super defender of any of them. It does appear that some of the other posters on this thread are entrenched in something negative.

[weberlin]

As a nation, the US is benefited from a population that is proficient in communicating in English. As individual people, citizens in the US are benefited from multilingual proficiency.

I strongly believe that all immigrants to the US should be proficient in English. If not, they must attempt to learn English once they get here.

Having government forms printed in foreign languages, and government employees be proficient in foreign languages is a great tool for transitioning immigrants to life in the US. However, these transitional tools should not become a crutch and excuse to not assimilate to this nations standard language: English.

[weberlin]

As a nation, the US is benefited from a population that is proficient in communicating in English. As individual people, citizens in the US are benefited from multilingual proficiency.

I strongly believe that all immigrants to the US should be proficient in English. If not, they must attempt to learn English once they get here.

Having government forms printed in foreign languages, and government employees be proficient in foreign languages is a great tool for transitioning immigrants to life in the US. However, these transitional tools should not become a crutch and excuse to not assimilate to this nations standard language: English.

[weberlin]

As a nation, the US is benefited from a population that is proficient in communicating in English. As individual people, citizens in the US are benefited from multilingual proficiency.

I strongly believe that all immigrants to the US should be proficient in English. If not, they must attempt to learn English once they get here.

Having government forms printed in foreign languages, and government employees be proficient in foreign languages is a great tool for transitioning immigrants to life in the US. However, these transitional tools should not become a crutch and excuse to not assimilate to this nations standard language: English.

[weberlin]

As a nation, the US is benefited from a population that is proficient in communicating in English. As individual people, citizens in the US are benefited from multilingual proficiency.

I strongly believe that all immigrants to the US should be proficient in English. If not, they must attempt to learn English once they get here.

Having government forms printed in foreign languages, and government employees be proficient in foreign languages is a great tool for transitioning immigrants to life in the US. However, these transitional tools should not become a crutch and excuse to not assimilate to this nations standard language: English.

[weberlin]

As a nation, the US is benefited from a population that is proficient in communicating in English. As individual people, citizens in the US are benefited from multilingual proficiency.

I strongly believe that all immigrants to the US should be proficient in English. If not, they must attempt to learn English once they get here.

Having government forms printed in foreign languages, and government employees be proficient in foreign languages is a great tool for transitioning immigrants to life in the US. However, these transitional tools should not become a crutch and excuse to not assimilate to this nations standard language: English.

[NotCranky]

[quote=GH]I assume “Spanish” is what is being pushed for. More useful though in the business world, I would prefer to see Chinese taught, or perhaps French or German.[/quote]

I think the languages are generally based on size of dominant and minority cultures prevalent. That makes sense to me.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm

In my mind the above link provides some direction on choosing the relative global value of languages.The extra advantage with Spanish is that a sharp person who becomes English/Spanish bi-literate early on will easily aquire Portuguese and perhaps even Italian and French too.

Chinese is a good or best choice for some people.
Spanish is best or second best generally speaking depending on how you view these things.From California I like them both.

I have a hard time taking up a defense for French or German as being better than Spanish, especially in Southern California or other locations where dual language is prevalent in the U.S.A.

French and German have the negative that high percentages of the populations using those languages are bilingual/multilingual,including lots of English proficient people who also have an education on par with what Americans aim for. If I were worried about it from a “success” point of view, I would like something that makes my kids unique in a larger population while being sensitive to the geographical location of that population.

[NotCranky]

[quote=GH]I assume “Spanish” is what is being pushed for. More useful though in the business world, I would prefer to see Chinese taught, or perhaps French or German.[/quote]

I think the languages are generally based on size of dominant and minority cultures prevalent. That makes sense to me.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm

In my mind the above link provides some direction on choosing the relative global value of languages.The extra advantage with Spanish is that a sharp person who becomes English/Spanish bi-literate early on will easily aquire Portuguese and perhaps even Italian and French too.

Chinese is a good or best choice for some people.
Spanish is best or second best generally speaking depending on how you view these things.From California I like them both.

I have a hard time taking up a defense for French or German as being better than Spanish, especially in Southern California or other locations where dual language is prevalent in the U.S.A.

French and German have the negative that high percentages of the populations using those languages are bilingual/multilingual,including lots of English proficient people who also have an education on par with what Americans aim for. If I were worried about it from a “success” point of view, I would like something that makes my kids unique in a larger population while being sensitive to the geographical location of that population.

[NotCranky]

[quote=GH]I assume “Spanish” is what is being pushed for. More useful though in the business world, I would prefer to see Chinese taught, or perhaps French or German.[/quote]

I think the languages are generally based on size of dominant and minority cultures prevalent. That makes sense to me.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm

In my mind the above link provides some direction on choosing the relative global value of languages.The extra advantage with Spanish is that a sharp person who becomes English/Spanish bi-literate early on will easily aquire Portuguese and perhaps even Italian and French too.

Chinese is a good or best choice for some people.
Spanish is best or second best generally speaking depending on how you view these things.From California I like them both.

I have a hard time taking up a defense for French or German as being better than Spanish, especially in Southern California or other locations where dual language is prevalent in the U.S.A.

French and German have the negative that high percentages of the populations using those languages are bilingual/multilingual,including lots of English proficient people who also have an education on par with what Americans aim for. If I were worried about it from a “success” point of view, I would like something that makes my kids unique in a larger population while being sensitive to the geographical location of that population.

[NotCranky]

[quote=GH]I assume “Spanish” is what is being pushed for. More useful though in the business world, I would prefer to see Chinese taught, or perhaps French or German.[/quote]

I think the languages are generally based on size of dominant and minority cultures prevalent. That makes sense to me.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm

In my mind the above link provides some direction on choosing the relative global value of languages.The extra advantage with Spanish is that a sharp person who becomes English/Spanish bi-literate early on will easily aquire Portuguese and perhaps even Italian and French too.

Chinese is a good or best choice for some people.
Spanish is best or second best generally speaking depending on how you view these things.From California I like them both.

I have a hard time taking up a defense for French or German as being better than Spanish, especially in Southern California or other locations where dual language is prevalent in the U.S.A.

French and German have the negative that high percentages of the populations using those languages are bilingual/multilingual,including lots of English proficient people who also have an education on par with what Americans aim for. If I were worried about it from a “success” point of view, I would like something that makes my kids unique in a larger population while being sensitive to the geographical location of that population.

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