| English was my second language |
2/12/07 1:42 PM |
Author:
Eric Guerra
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I learned to speak English fluently in about the first grade. There was very little support for bilingual education and the services that were available were very limited. The difficulty I experience was not being able to understand what the teacher was saying. I wondered what was all the writing on the chalkboard. Well... It could have been art.
There is controversy over ELL, bilingual-education, and English-only programs in school. Does bilingual education become a “crutch” for the students were progress is limited? Some argue that the ineffectiveness of bilingual education is due to the lack of adequately funding the program to provide results. Will the lack of adequate funding for English-only programs have the same outcome?
In a conversation with the Department of Education and the Office of Senator Gil Cedillo, the department reported that as of 2006 51% of students in kindergarten are Latino. A significant number of these students are English language learners. The long-term implications are that in 9 years these students will be in high school. Will their level of English be ready for them to fully participate in the high school environment.
However the process of “assimilation” or “integration” occurs in and outside of the elementary school. It is the states role to facilitate a speedy process of integration by providing funding for a variety of programs that can assist parents as well. Language development must also be addressed with the parents if students are expected to succeed. Other states have created agencies and departments that focus on the integration of immigrants into the state’s norms (e.g. Illinois & Utah).
Economist Geroge Borjas discuss the creation of “ethnic ghettos” as a result of the barriers to integration of immigrants. These “ethnic ghettos” have higher high school dropout rates, lower household wages, and higher crime. Much of these effects are a result of the difficulty of communication between immigrants and the local government.
Posted as a reply to:
Hello by bobbi
b.
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