For this week's discussion, we were tasked with watching two videos that showcased bilingual programs and immersion and respond to the following question:
"Why might some Mandarin or Spanish speaking be resistant to two-way programs?"
"Why might some Mandarin or Spanish speaking be resistant to two-way programs?"
Discussion Post |
Discussion Post (created December 9, 2017 by Amanda Johnson)
I think that having two-way programs are very beneficial for students, but some families may have some doubts about having their students attend such a program. Since they do not get all of their instruction in English, they won't be ready for the state assessments that are only in English when they are in the third grade. They know the material, but will not be able to fully translate everything correctly in their mind. It takes a little longer to close that gap, but eventually they do and can even surpass the students that only speak English. I’m sure there have been instances where a child did not pick up English fast enough and was considered to be very low in the upper grades simply because they only knew their primary language. Another aspect that families might be deterred from entering such a program is that it will take them longer to see any results of the English language acquisition. Many families end up relying on their younger children that go to school and learn English so they can help them translate from time to time. If they enter this type of program, the student will not be able to assist in those situations. We have a K-1 program at one of our elementary schools that teaches in Spanish, but I don’t have very much information on it. I’m not sure if they have to follow the same protocol as others in the district do or if they have their own set. I would be concerned about their content and language knowledge going in to the second grade if everything is done is Spanish for those first two years.
I would love to put my own child in to an immersion program as highlighted by the first video. Having children learn a second language at such a young age is so beneficial in my opinion. Mandarin is a great language to know and opens up many various opportunities for careers with just that one additional language.
I think that having two-way programs are very beneficial for students, but some families may have some doubts about having their students attend such a program. Since they do not get all of their instruction in English, they won't be ready for the state assessments that are only in English when they are in the third grade. They know the material, but will not be able to fully translate everything correctly in their mind. It takes a little longer to close that gap, but eventually they do and can even surpass the students that only speak English. I’m sure there have been instances where a child did not pick up English fast enough and was considered to be very low in the upper grades simply because they only knew their primary language. Another aspect that families might be deterred from entering such a program is that it will take them longer to see any results of the English language acquisition. Many families end up relying on their younger children that go to school and learn English so they can help them translate from time to time. If they enter this type of program, the student will not be able to assist in those situations. We have a K-1 program at one of our elementary schools that teaches in Spanish, but I don’t have very much information on it. I’m not sure if they have to follow the same protocol as others in the district do or if they have their own set. I would be concerned about their content and language knowledge going in to the second grade if everything is done is Spanish for those first two years.
I would love to put my own child in to an immersion program as highlighted by the first video. Having children learn a second language at such a young age is so beneficial in my opinion. Mandarin is a great language to know and opens up many various opportunities for careers with just that one additional language.
Peer Responses
It's important for Children to learn a second language while young. Unfortunately most public schools do not start second language education until middle school. This then leads to an unfair advantage for upper class children, who do not attend schools that strictly teach to the test
Sean Mellott, December 9, 2017
Sean Mellott, December 9, 2017
When I was in 6th grade my family moved to Bogota, Colombia. We lived there for two years. I ended up having to repeat the sixth grade because I was struggling with Spanish. In the long run it was the best thing that ever happened to me in terms of my education.
John Foster, December 9, 2017
John Foster, December 9, 2017