Abolishing Monolinguism The Importance of Leaning Another Language
Dec 22, 2015
Abolishing Monolinguism
The Importance of Leaning Another Language
“The Sum of human wisdom is not contained in any one language.”
Unknown
English The Official Language of the United States??
What do you think?Is it important to learn another language?Why are we afraid of becoming bilingual?Spanish is here to stay
Find Out How Much You Know
A little quiz
1. English became the official language of the Unites States by:
a) A Constitutional provision drafted by the Founding Fathersb) A Supreme Court Decisionc) A bill signed into law by President Reagand) English is not the official language of the United States
1. English became the official language of the Unites States by:
D
English is not the official language of the United States
2. How many states offer driver’s license exams in languages other than English?
A) 4B) 14C) 24D) 44
2. How many states offer driver’s license exams in languages other than English?
D
44
3. Under existing federal law, it is legal for state and local governments to declare Spanish their only official language?A) TrueB) False
3. Under existing federal law, it is legal for state and local governments to declare Spanish their only official language? A
True
4. Endorsing legislation known as “English Plus” would:
A) Encourage people to learn more than one languageB) Prevent English from becoming the official language of the United StatesC) Foster understanding between people of different ethnic groupsD) None of the above
4. Endorsing legislation known as “English Plus” would:
B
Prevent English from becoming the official language of the United States
5. Approximately what percentage of immigrants support laws to make English the official language of the United States?
A) 20%B) 33%C) 55%D) 70%
5. Approximately what percentage of immigrants support laws to make English the official language of the United States? D
70%
6. Which of the following countries have an official language?A) IsraelB) FranceC) MexicoD) All of the above
6. Which of the following countries have an official language?
D
All of the above
More than two-thirds of the Web Pages are in English
A) TrueB) False
More than two-thirds of the Web Pages are in English
A
True
8. In order to become a U.S. citizen, an applicant must:
A) Demonstrate an ability to speak EnglishB) Participate in a swearing-in ceremony conducted in EnglishC) Have paperwork in orderD) All of the Above
8. In order to become a U.S. citizen, an applicant must:
D
All of the Above
Foreign Languages Are Important Because…
Can improve SAT and ACT scoresImprove analytic & interpretive capacityCan lead to future job promotionsHelp in understanding other culturesIt will improve your EnglishHelps develop greater listening & Retention skills
Foreign Languages Are Important Because...
Help language skillsCreate positive attitude towards:
Other LanguagesOther Cultures
Increase self-esteem
Why Learn …
GERMANThe largest,wealthiest nation in EU, 3rd in GNP
JAPANESEMajor trading partner
LATINBuilds strong vocabulary and language skills
What Are We Afraid of? El Cenizo
1999 El Cenizo a Texas town adopted Spanish as the official language.Many people were upset at this monolingual attitudeWhy the double standard?
Why Is Spanish a Detriment?
Is it wrong to speak to your child in Spanish?According to a Texas court it isMother found guilty
What do you think?
“…It’s eminently fair that a country’s official language should be the language of the majority.”
Ayn Rand
Why Spanish Is Important
250 million native speakersIn 20 years, 1/6 people will be Hispanic300 million people speak itTravel
Large business market$220.2 Billion in purchasing power
Why Spanish Is Important
NAFTA3rd most spoken language in the world
After Chinese & English
2nd in the world when:Only native speakers are counted
Did you know?
27 states have an “English Only” policyMichigan is not one of themHawaii is officially Bilingual“English Only” has been declared Unconstitutional in two states.
So What Is “English Only?”
Can establish English as the official languageLimits government assistanceRestriction of bilingual educationForbid non-English government services
Courtroom translationEmergency phone services
The World Is Shrinking
“… Economy and technology are fast creating an interdependent global village. Fluency in more than one language will be necessary for the average person wishing to maximize his/her potential.”
Globalization
“Attitudes towards monolingual have no place in a global society.”The world is getting smaller everydayBig businesses work closely w/other countriesWe can’t be left behind
Is It Too Late?
It’s never too late in life to learn a new skill For many, Spanish is a language with the most rewards and least effort
What Does It Take To Be Successful
Rigorous Teacher EducationEffective StrategiesStrong PolicyAssessmentMaintenance of:
HeritageRegionalIndigenous Languages
What Does The U.S. Need To Do?
Start earlyLearn from othersResearchImprove teacher educationAssessmentDesignate foreign language as a core subject
Final Thoughts
We need to stop having teachers defend foreign languagesHelp our children learn the importance of language at a young ageLearn from other countries
“Language is not merely the conjunction of grammar and vocabulary but also communication and better understanding among individuals and nations. No longer can we afford to live isolated in a monolingual society that is forever inward-looking. Great challenges lie beyond our shores, worlds to discover and know. Languages are the golden key to unlock these vistas.”
WORKS CITEDHilt, Douglass. “Foreign Language Learning: Why Bother?”
ADFL Bulletin #14, (September 1982) pg. 5-7.
Pufahl, Ingrid and Nancy C. Rhodes, Donna Christian. “Foreign Language Teaching, What the United States Can Learn From Other Countries,” Website, December 2002. www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/0106pufahl.html
Unknown. “Why Learn Spanish, Spanish for Beginners,” Website, 2002. http://spanish.about.com/library/beginning/nbl-beg-intro-why.htm.
Vassen, Robert. Professor and Assistant Director of English Language Center, Michigan State University. Oral Interview, June 5,2003.