School Project: Poll for my English class (Politics)

[Badassboxer]

During the next few weeks I may be asking a few political questions. I took an English class at Community College and have to do a poll. Basically it's about Proposition 203 in Arizona; those of you in California remember it as Prop 227 in 1998 - (Ending bilingual education and starting English- Only education in K-12 public schools.

Could you either email me privately or publicly (reply to this) and let me know your opinions, also please include if you are bilingual or not and if so, what language (all information is optional).

Basically the question is would you support a measure that stopped bilingual education (where students are taught both in their native language and English throughout the day) - and moved these limited or non-English speaking students into an intense English Immersion Program (where students are given one school year to learn English proficiently, while still keeping up their level academics). Would you support this measure?

Thanks for your input - also I may be asking another question in the near future. OPTIONAL - language(s) spoken. No names are needed if you would like to reply anonimously (sp?).

PS - All emails are treated confidential (All responses are treated as confidential by me).

Asyzia
LittleFreedom@yahoo.com

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Asy
Debo - 01/23/2000
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[This message has been edited by Badassboxer (edited 10-26-2000).]

 

[Paula]

I am not bilingual. But at one time knew many who were or even fluent in multiple languages. This great and needs to be encouraged. Second languages for the homegrown kids should be available and encouraged. Americans shouldn't just speak louder, the UGLY AMERICAN concept. But afterall the langauge of the USA is English and classes etc should be conducted that way. I support the one year immersion concept. That all classes should be in English, unless the class is specifically French/Spanish etc.

 

[Elsa]

I am not bilingual; my mother is from So. America and my dad is Irish/Danish. I took Spanish in college (didn't pick it up) and was told by my instructor that if the language is spoken at home, the kids will pick it up. I was out of luck; no foreign language spoken at home.
I have mixed feelings about the proposition you are speaking of. It is wonderful to be bi-lingual; the kids across the street from me speak English, Greek, AND Spanish (mom is Mexican and dad is Greek) so it's strange but impressive to see a 3 year old conversant in three languages.
To be very successful and set yourself apart from the "competition" in the work force here, being bi-lingual will do that for you.

To answer your question, the English Immersion concept sounds reasonable. What invariably happens in this situation of kids learning a second language is that they go home and teach it to parents, grandparents, siblings so making learning English a priority helps in many ways.

[This message has been edited by Elsa (edited 10-29-2000).]

 

[crabby69]

There was a time, a few generations ago, when immigrants WANTED to be American and knew that part of that meant learning the language. My father didn't speak English until he started school. His parents were of German descent but were born here. They worked hard to learn the language because they knew it would help them in their lives. They encouraged their children to speak whichever language they wanted at home but demanded that they become proficient in the language of the land. I think a second language is wonderful if offered and available, but I think people who are going to call any country their home should be willing to learn the language most frequently spoken there. If I took up residence in a foreign speaking country, I would be determined to learn to communicate in the language of the land.

No offense intended.

Leta

 

[Badassboxer]

Thanks for answering my question guys (gals), this class is really tough. I HATE politics, but we had no choice but to pick a political topic and write. I didn't get many responses, so I am going to take a survey out in front of a corner store.

My paper is based on opposing Prop 203, but really it just all seems a waste of time. To save a bunch of arguements, they could have just "re-vamped" the bilingual education as it is - that's really all Prop 203 is about, a new structure, there is still bilingual aspects to it. I don't undertand why they put into "politics".

No offense taken at all, it's an English Course and we had to choose one of the Propositions in Arizona, and since I'm originally from Cali - I used this one, since California has already gone through this.

Me personally, I don't think I'm voting in this election year, nothing I've heard has moved me one way or the other and that goes for the Presidential stuff too!

Thanks for your opinions, I may use a quote or two to defend Prop 203 in my paper, but my paper argues for Prop 203. Don't worry, I'm not using any names!

Thanks again!

 

[Elsa]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Badassboxer:


Me personally, I don't think I'm voting in this election year, nothing I've heard has moved me one way or the other and that goes for the Presidential stuff too!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry to hear you are throwing away your vote. Every vote counts; silly as it may seem to some. :(

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-Elsa

Ruby- Flashy Fawn, Black Mask,Cropped, 5/1998

[This message has been edited by Elsa (edited 10-31-2000).]