Bilingual Children...

[Zulmara]

How do we help our children grow up bilingual in a monolingual culture?

In our wonderfully multicultural world, it is very important that our children be encouraged to be bilingual, trilingual, or even quadralingual. Children learn a second language with such ease and with facility, which we should encourage our children to grow up speaking more than one language.
Biliteracy provides our children with the many opportunities:
It enhances their understanding of other cultures and perspectives
It helps them to build deeper and stronger relationships
It helps to reduce divisions among cultures
It develops self-esteem and confidence

Overall, there is only gain to be had by helping our children become proficient bilinguals. It will put us on a path to truly uniting the world…once and for all.

Zulmara
Please note, although no boardcode and smiley buttons are shown, they are still useable

[Cassy]

Zulmara - I teach 4th grade in a bilingual program in a 90% hispanic community in NJ. In the 16 years or so that I've been teaching in this setting, I have been disappointed to find that very few professionals (in my setting) truly value being bilingual. In my school there are over 700 students, primarily hispanic. There are about 100 teachers and support staff, of which only 25 or so are hispanic.

Our students are confused. They arrive to my school/district/town, and enjoy the nurturing and supportive environments offered in bilingual classrooms. Then, when they are deemed ready to "exit", they are placed in general program classrooms where their teachers lack the interest, knowledge, and desire to foster a continued knowledge of the home language. It's sad.

Within my classroom and as a school leader, I work toward an appreciation of our beautiful cultures, our language, our stories, our music. I am lucky to have a core group of Latina teachers who do the same right along with me. We do what we can to raise the spirits of our children and hold them to high expectations. I teach my students to not allow their teachers to change their names, and I encourage the use of Spanish in my classroom, during lessons, during conversations.

If only the rest of the people I teach with, and the average Anerican citizen understood and appreciated the great value of embracing ethnicity and holding on to native language!

[Zulmara]

Cassy,

Yes, that has been the same song all over the nation. How do we get ourselves to honor and believe that our heritage language is an asset, not a deficit, and a source of pride.

I hope you join me on EZ Bilingual and forward the link to your colleagues and friends who are also a part of the bilingual community...and we can start a movement together.

gracias for replying...

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

[Lupe]

I wish every day that growing up my parents would have taught me spanish. No one will tell me the real reason why, but my mother has only said that my father didn't want us to learn. Now that I am older I am too scared and shy to try. Even in highschool I was embarressed. When I say embarressed, I say this because I had a speech problem as a young child and would rarely speak to people. I remember being laughed at for how I would say things.

[Zulmara]

Ah Lupe, many children shared your same fate...growing up in such a hostile culture to Spanish speakers, many parents felt it was better not to teach their children. Hopefully, in the newsletter you will find some great tips for connecting to your heritage language...and discover your inner LATINA...

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

[Lupe]

Yes it's sad. I asked my mother about it and she said she wanted all her children to speak spanish, but my father insisted she didn't. I'm very happy to be a part of this community! Glad I found out about it.

[Zulmara]

I am glad that you are here as well...Latina artists are a special breed and I am glad that Maria has brought us all together in one place...

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

[Veronica Escudero]

Good subject...My question is why in the world do the Latinos all have to speak Spanish? If you look at many of the immigrants that came to this country they wanted their children to speak English. They were proud to be Americans, and they refused to allow their children to speak their native tongue.

I personally was brought up with Spanish because my grandmother couldn't speak English so I learned Spanish and then later I studied it too. There is a lot of patriotism toward Mexico in the Latino community. Is it because we are so close to Mexico? Why can we not assimilate like so many other immigrants have? - I thought I would mention that I am not an immigrant, but I feel strongly about being patriotic to this nation, although I too have this bond toward my Latin heritage. I lived in Mexico City for four years, and I learned to love the indigenous arts and crafts and people. It helped me to improve my Spanish, and grow in knowledge re the Mexican customs.

Just to change the subject a little - Do you know that I sincerely believe that Latinos have an incredible flair for color and design. It seems that whenever there are latinos exhibiting I can always tell that they are raza because of the incredible use of color and design. And we are not talking Posada like images, or Frida Kahlo images, or Diego Rivera like images. They can very well be painting in an abstract manner and I can pinpoint them out. It's fascinating to see the talent.

I can see it on this website.

[Zulmara]

Hola,

You are right, all Latinos don't have to speak Spanish and when it is by choice, then that is OK. It is when losing your heritage language is not that choice that it become problematic.

Yes, I see what you mean about the artists here, they are incredible and you can see the cultura coming through in their art...a very bicultural group.

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

[Cassy]

Veronica - Yes, many immigrants DO wish to assimilate and learn the English language. And for those who wish to be totally absorbed in to the host culture, that is fine. For some folks, this may be a choice. However, many folks (not just Latino) have also paid a price when coming to this country. They have had to deny who they are; they've had to leave customs, language, and family behind, to end up in a place that is not always as welcome as we pretend it to be.

All Latinos do not speak Spanish, nor do they have to. But this language is a bond - to the native country, to the past, to heritage, to people. Being bilingual (in any language) is an opportunity to connect with the world on so many levels.

You mentioned immigrants who "were proud to be Americans, and they refused to allow their children to speak their native tongue." I know that in countless cases, this happened (and still does) out of fear and intimidation, parents not wanting their children to "suffer" being recognized as other than American. What a shame. It frustrates me that folks are so afraid or offended by people retaining pedazos de su identidad.

I was born here in NJ - I am a proud "Jersey Girl" and an even prouder American. I am also proud of my Bolivian heritage, and embrace being a Latina in every aspect of my life. I am connected to both worlds - and love both de todo corazon.

Hermanas - this is a HOT topic for me! Caray!

[Veronica Escudero]

Yes, you said it sister. It's a really hot topic and I love being able to discuss these matters with other Latinas.

[Maria Sanchez]

This is a great topic. For me I had no choice. My parents didn't speak English when we first came this country. I was taught that Spanish was the language to use in the home. Outside of the home we could use whatever language we wanted to. It was more to show respect for our parents and elders who did not understand what me and brothers and sisters were saying. Now I am so grateful to have learned both languages.

All 3 of my kids have been through Spanish Immersion schools since kinder and now have both languages. It has helped them to appreciate their cultural background and now that they are becoming young adults they have the ability to communicate in 2 languages. My daughter now wants to learn French. My son is taking Italian too. Learning languages really opens your mind to other cultures, after all we live in global society, especially here in California.

[Zulmara]

Que cool are you...I did not teach my kids Portuguese, my heritage language, but I did make sure they took Spanish...and now they are interested in learning Portuguese...

Yes, I love being trilingual...and I am ready to learn Italian...I took French...so I figure I can go to France and hold my own...

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara