6/20 Multilingual Teaching in schools

 TONGUE TIED  Otto Santa Ana    

chapters titled 

Teaching Multilingual Children   and 

Aria( Richard Rodriguez)   

 by Virginia Collier  

R.I.D.E. website information on Multilingual learning

EDWEEK The Debate about English Learner Terminology

The Author of this article is trying to provide research back evidence that Multilingual students are extremely more proficient in education when they are allowed to learn with their home language being respected as not only the primary but with the home language being treasured as important to the identity of the child, family, and people of that language community.  Both languages are given the same balance of importance in the role of acquiring an education in America.

talking points that stood out for  me 

1. In an instant, they agreed to give up the language ( the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family's closeness. 

This was very disturbing but actually could see how it is true.   How many families loose touch as the student becomes more "American" leaving parents who are too busy trying to work to survive (and not learn English).  The generation gap is enough to put a strain on the understanding of parents and children, to think that communication can be destroyed enough to cause distance between a parent and child is not what America should be about. 

2.  Today I hear bilingual educators say that children lose a degree of what individuality by becoming assimilated into public society.  But are only seen if they assimilate to the public!

As a child, I remember, my grandmother and sister us to talk to their mother (my great grandmother) I asked my mom when we got home what they were speaking.  Kriolu my mom said.   I asked my dad why he did not speak Kriolu?  My dad explained that my grandfather was against it because it just made things harder for the family if they spoke another language.  My grandfather taught his children that it did not matter how cool it was to speak another language that others do not understand, because in America your either "AMERICAN"(and white) or you didn't matter.  He said Being from Cape Verde does not change that they see you as Black.  You speak some other language just tells them we are black (the first assumption being African)  You need to worry about fitting in and them not looking at you like you do not belong here.  How many families in America have to have this talk with their children.  How many families were robbed of their spoken culture because they HAD to fit in to make it in America.  I am currently learning Kriolu and am proud to be Cape Verdean and have the ability to speak in another language, my culture of tongue!

3. Code Switching by students should be accepted. 

The idea of not correcting when learning a second language but instead encouraging first language interpretation and clarity is so awesome t one.  I love to hear other folks speak their language I strive to know what they are saying how they develop the language  what is the history of the language  do they have "slang".  I am learning Kriolu but growing up I heard many phrases in Kriolu and also German(my dad watched a lot of Hogan Heros he learn all kind of German words and phrases from that show that he would use in the house.)  I naturally and automatically respond in these language when certain situations occur.  "Ka la Boka"  shut up "Y,Dios" oh my God/oh God.  I think it is amazing that I have adapted to these different language for the emphasis they give me I prefer these saying the flow right out of my mouth and have life to them, more than the English words in my opinion.

I love the ideology behind Multilingual or the research that shows once a child becomes literate in the home language, literacy skills swiftly transfer to second language settings, it turns out the transfer is swift even when the writing systems are not the same.  I think it is amazing to be able to speak 2 languages and it should be something we honor more and accept it as being worldly and diverse in understanding.

Teaching Bilinguals Even When You are Not One videos series 

This video series just backed up my thoughts about reinforcing home language and adding on an additional language in exchange for stripping a students home language in efforts to assimilate.  These videos show ways you can make your classroom, lesson, relationship Multilingual which allows students to express and learn in whatever language makes them feel comfortable but also ensuring that the "bonus" language is still taught to influence bi-language attachments and an alternate learning style.