Making space for Spanish

The Chicago Libune ^ | 9-12-05 | Shia Kapos

[satchmodog9]

Circle time in Laura Gelderloos' kindergarten class at Harper Elementary School in Wilmette is a little bit different this year. The 5-year-olds, chins poking up as they follow her animated expressions, are singing in Spanish.

Hola, buenos dias.

Como estas?

Yo estoy bien.

Gracias.

The class is part of a foreign-language initiative to bring Spanish instruction to every kindergarten, 1st- and 2nd-grade class in the district's four schools.

On the first day of the 20-minute class, there was an English explanation. On day two, "we'll only speak Spanish," Gelderloos tells her charges. "You'll see. It'll be easy."

The Wilmette foreign-language program, similar to ones in Chicago, Evanston/Skokie and other school districts, is being hailed by parents and teachers for introducing Spanish language and culture to pupils whose connection to Latin America has been limited.

The emphasis on language in elementary schools is happening nationwide, even as some districts have to make tough choices on what to offer because of the demands of the federal No Child Left Behind Act for higher reading, writing and math standards.

"We're seeing across the country that parents of elementary students are very interested in having their children learn a language at an early age," said Marty Abbott, director of education for the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Language.

[satchmodog9]

When are the parents going to wake up to the fact that multiculturalism will unravel our society. When will the socialists realize they are holding Spanish speaking immigrants down by encouraging them to speak their native tongue. Typical liberalism brings the majority down to the level of the minority. The best way to get ahead is to master the English language.

[henderson field]

"...very interested in having their children learn a language..."
Perhaps.
But German is a more useful language in business.
Why not have them learn German?

[satchmodog9]

An option, not force.

[headsonpikes]

Pinche educrats!

[WideGlide]

I'm all for this idea as long as the Spanish-speaking children are in a similarly focused English class. I'm not holding my breath senor.

[CO Gal]

Good post. This is part of the reason why I steer my 4-year-old away from Dora the Explorer. Just seems to be part of a bigger (nefarious) plan against my child. (Should I get fitted for my tin foil hat now??) :-)

[weegee]

Teach the kids Japanese. That country has a healthier economy.

We are "free" to choose a second language in high school (Spanish, French, in some schools German...), why not allow the same choice earlier?

When I went to school in Texas in the 70s I was also taught Spanish (not enough to be of any use) and in Louisiana I was taught French (again not enough...) in primary grades.

I don't see a problem with teaching a second language. I DO see a problem in requiring that language be Spanish and permitting Spanish speaking people to slide by in society and not learn English.

Why not teach Chinese? More use for that around the world.

[Clemenza]

Beats learning a useless language, like French!

Knowing Spanish helped me early in my career in international finance. I don't see why my fellow Americans are so loathe to learn other languages.

[satchmodog9]

I see Orlando Salinas on Fox was even sporting the Dora the Explorer haircut. I agree. I see some insidious little plot in Dora as well and it is verboten here.

[weegee]

Why are "some" immigrants so loathe to learning English?

I agree it is good to be multilingual. The choice should be left to the children with guidance from their parents.

[satchmodog9]

I see nothing wrong with learning another one. It is the forcing of one culture to dumb down to the immigrant. Not good policy at all. We still speak Italian, but it was taught as a second language because the parents wanted the children to move ahead and not be left back by society.

[sourcery]

The emphasis on language in elementary schools is happening nationwide

All children should learn at least one foreign language.

However, Spanish is one of the worst possible choices for a North American native, for the following reasons:

1. Although there is a large demand for Spanish speakers, there is an even larger supply (mostly consisting of native speakers.)
2. Although there is a large deman for people who are fluently bilingual in both English and Spanish, it is far more likely that those whose native language is Spanish will learn to speak fluent English, than it is that those whose native language is Enlgish will ever learn to speak fluent Spanish.
3. The greatest intellectual benefits to learning a foreign language come from a language that is substantially different from one's own. Spanish, French and German (indeed most of the langauge from Western Europe) are all very similar to English as far linguistic science is concerned.
4. The national interest would be better served by teaching our children Chinese, Japanese, Russian or Arabic.

[satchmodog9]

Especially in some of our Spanish speaking neighbors back yards. Way to go with that canal Jimmie.

[solitas]

Salga de mi país; ¡Ahora!

[Nateman]

It is a common language among a people that forms the glue that binds it together as a nation. The opposite is also true.The best way, historically, to bust up a nation is to get its inhabitants speaking different languages.

[Clemenza]

All the second generation Colombians in the nabe I lived in in Miami, to say nothing of the second generation Mexican kids I tutored in Chicago, prefer English to Spanish. The English language is like a Borg: It is embedded in popular culture and enters all who are exposed to it.

[satchmodog9]

There is multiculturalism for you.

[weegee]

What I don't understand is with all of the talk of "La Raza" and "Aztlan" (a time before Spain came to America), why do they so hold onto speaking the language of the Conquistadors?

There shouldn't be the resentment against English.

[staytrue]

The effort is drawing measured praise from teachers who point out they will be losing 100 minutes of instruction each week for the daily Spanish classes in 1st and 2nd grades.

I read the article and they are devoting about 2 hours a week to multiculturalism. It may not be a bad thing for 2 hours a week and the students are not learning spanish as a first language but as a second language.

[weegee]

I guess that it is "good" to learn Spanish in Chicago because they are finding it too difficult to teach Spanish to those working phone banks in India and Scotland;

This wlll stem the tide of offshored jobs.

Of course, they could always just route the "push 2 for Spanish" calls to some Central American country.

(BTW, why does it cost me 20 cents a minute to talk to Austin by phone yet I can get an operator in Scotland or India on a 1-888 line for what must be an affordable rate to the company I am calling?)