My students are English Learners, and they have taken up the journey into academic content to better prepare for a life in America as a bi-lingual citizen. American born English speakers may want to take heed. We are all now living in a time when only speaking a single language is a disadvantage (Skutnabb-Kangas, 1990). in many professional fields in America. Just as living in geographic proximity of foreign countries with different languages likely prepares and invites your participation into foreign language discussions, the digital media of our time makes the world our next door neighbor. Growing up in a community of several generations of only speaking English, was not a concern for me, until I began seeking employment as a teenager. That experience was years ago. In college I had two semesters of a second language, and my speaking and writing skills today in a second language are at a pre-school level. According to Hakuta (1999) learning a second language and becoming fluent can take six years. This research might make some of us feel better, but it does not change the need for a second language. Today, while standing in line at the grocery store, I noticed service jobs in a local Sunday paper, such as receptionist, sales clerk, and drivers, listed as a preferred requirement - a second language. I tell my students who are struggling with learning English, even if they only learn to read and write on a third grade level in English, they will be more bi-lingual than most Americans. GallopPoll.com reported that 1 in 4 Americans speak a second language.
Nearly all my 8th graders have smart phones and use them to Google everything. They love Google as much as I do. Google and the internet is like going to the library, only better because I can stay home. Most of my students are reading one or two years below their grade level. For many, graduating from high school is already a fading dream. I hope they are learning that educating yourself is about learning. I have shared a story from my family as it was told to me; true or not it has value. My cousin once read that Abraham Lincoln homeschooled himself and became a lawyer. This cousin had graduated from high school and had a labor
job. He wanted to be a lawyer and decided he would study at the local library. Several years later when he was ready to sign up to take the legal exam, the requirement for a college degree had only been in place for three months. Yes, I know it sounds like a rotten deal, but this cousin went on to be one of the most successful members in my family. He took a job where he learned to cut hair; later, owned a barbershop and employed many relatives over a few decades. He even authored a book and this story is in his book. Were my mother answering my text messages and her phone right now, I would site him here in my blog. I can’t recall his name and my deadline will not wait. The jest of the story is this: education is a great type of contingency plan and not finishing high school is not the end of learning.
Hakuta, K. (1999). A critical period for second language acquisition? A status review. Paper written for the National Center for Early Development and Learning (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill).
Natheson-Mejia, S. (1994). Bridges between home and school: Literacy building activities for non native English speaking homes. The Journal of Educational Issues of Language Minority Students.
Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove. (1990). Language, Literacy and Minorities. London: Minority Rights Group.
Nearly all my 8th graders have smart phones and use them to Google everything. They love Google as much as I do. Google and the internet is like going to the library, only better because I can stay home. Most of my students are reading one or two years below their grade level. For many, graduating from high school is already a fading dream. I hope they are learning that educating yourself is about learning. I have shared a story from my family as it was told to me; true or not it has value. My cousin once read that Abraham Lincoln homeschooled himself and became a lawyer. This cousin had graduated from high school and had a labor
job. He wanted to be a lawyer and decided he would study at the local library. Several years later when he was ready to sign up to take the legal exam, the requirement for a college degree had only been in place for three months. Yes, I know it sounds like a rotten deal, but this cousin went on to be one of the most successful members in my family. He took a job where he learned to cut hair; later, owned a barbershop and employed many relatives over a few decades. He even authored a book and this story is in his book. Were my mother answering my text messages and her phone right now, I would site him here in my blog. I can’t recall his name and my deadline will not wait. The jest of the story is this: education is a great type of contingency plan and not finishing high school is not the end of learning.
Hakuta, K. (1999). A critical period for second language acquisition? A status review. Paper written for the National Center for Early Development and Learning (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill).
Natheson-Mejia, S. (1994). Bridges between home and school: Literacy building activities for non native English speaking homes. The Journal of Educational Issues of Language Minority Students.
Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove. (1990). Language, Literacy and Minorities. London: Minority Rights Group.