Posted on 01/07/2012 9:04:49 AM PST by ruralvoter
When it comes time for math and phonics at Spring Lake Elementary School, first-graders in an experimental classroom stop speaking English and start learning in a language that's foreign to many of them.
For about an hour a day, students at the Seminole County school who have never spoken Spanish will learn their numbers and letters, sing and play games completely in Spanish.
The goal is ambitious: Teachers aim to have each student speaking, reading and writing both English and Spanish equally by the end of the year with the hope of giving English-speakers a leg up on a new language while helping Spanish-speakers keep theirs.
"Now the way things are going around the world economically — everywhere, you need to know a second language," said Zaide Vazquez, who teaches the Spanish portion of the class.
"English is not enough."
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
“Now the way things are going around the world economically — everywhere, you need to know a second language,” said Zaide Vazquez, who teaches the Spanish portion of the class.
“English is not enough.”
It is if you’re in the U.S. If you think it isn’t then find another country that suits your prejudices.
Please name one successful country where Spanish is the primary language!
Long time ago, I read the results of a study comparing English language skills of children who were brought up in a home where English was a second language, and homes where English was the first language. The bilingual origin kids were at a significant disadvantage.
As an adult, in post-secondary school milieu and in the workplace, that appeared to be accurate in the majority of cases.
Let me point out first that this is just an hour a day, so it essentially amounts to the introduction of foreign language education to elementary school, which is basically a good thing. Kids learn second languages much faster than adults do, and it also helps them with the grammar and analysis of their own language.
However, the ideology behind this program sounds stupid. With such an ideology, it means that they will get inferior, ideologically motivated teachers whose own Spanish is not good and who are teaching the kids the equivalent of “grandmother Spanish,” that is, what you speak to your non-English speaking abuelita at home. Simplified, ungrammatical, etc. I’d be really surprised if they taught the kids to read and write Spanish, since most American-born speakers of Spanish cannot actually read or write Spanish, and if they can do so at all, they don’t do it well.
Maybe the schools should make sure they understand math and science in one language (English) before worrying about another.
“Please name one successful country where Spanish is the primary language!”
Chile.
Costa Rica.
The US?....Just kidding..I think....
Save the money. First graders don’t read or write any language with facility and only speak the family toung with moderate fluency. They can learn other languages easily but that is not the function of the public school at this point.
As an experiment, and as a voluntary program, I’m for it.
Spanish teaching in public schools is usually not very effective because its studied as a subject divorced from life, and for most kids even if they get good grades it doesn’t really stick.
Using it for half the day (which is what the Lake Country program does) means the language is actually connected to life which means it makes the kinds of mental connections you need to actually begin to absorb it.
Its voluntary, and its an experiment, and the parents involved are excited about it. I’d say, let it run and see how it works out over time.
Costa Rica is a real nation? Don’t make me laugh too hard this early in the day. That place has no military and depends on the World Cop (A.K.A America) to defend them. With no military expenses, even a Spanish speaking Banana Republic, (And this one can’t even grow lots of bananas) can look better than it is.
PS Ever considered the amount of retiree money from America that is spent in Costa Rica?
Chile, perhaps qualifies. Let’s see how long they manage to keep a government.
Kids can learn Spanish on their own time. They should be learning Chinese and/or Arabic in school. Both have economic and military benefits.
As a high school teacher, I would be happy if students could read and write properly in English. So let’s confuse first graders, who have to establish a language base, by infusing them with two languages. Yes, children learn languages faster than adults, but generally not proficiently enough to be academically fluent in both. From my own experience growing up in Germany, while my German was pretty fluent, I could not possibly write an advanced paper or get through chemistry or math using German. For that I had to use my base language which was English.
“It is if you’re in the U.S.”
Here in northern NJ it is difficult to get any job that interacts with the public if you don’t speak Spanish. We are so overrun with illegals everyone from your supermarket cashier to food service to salesmen have a hard time finding work without it. Our illegals weren’t let in to work or stabilize Social Security; they were let in as consumers.
“Please name one successful country where Spanish is the primary language!”
Mexico; they’re retaking their lost territories, and then some.
You wrote:
“Costa Rica is a real nation?”
Are you claiming it isn’t one? If you are, then you’re an idiot. The demand was “one successful country where Spanish is the primary language!” I named two. The rest of your post is useless blather.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
I have no problem with spanish being taught as a SECOND language. Or French, or Russian or Chinese — as long as English is our FIRST language.
So, a country has to be a world power to be worthwhile?
I’d be tickled to death if the schools taught English. Have you had any conversations with the kids getting out of high school? Like wow, like really, like, like, hhmmmm, like......
I was thinking the same thing. If it works with Spanish/English (and granted, that is the easier and more obvious case) then they should push the experiment a little further with French or German or Chinese. Finding Spanish speakers to staff the program is probably easier than some other languages, especially away from larger cities, but I would love to see it tried where possible.
I remember that when I was in high school, four languages were offered. Spanish, French, German, and Russian. The language programs have atrophied along with everything else over the years it seems. We used to have a huge and varied vocational ed program, and a large and very active music program. I don't see so much of that these days. We spend more than ever but they say the money isn't there.
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