Bilingualism

One of this week’s readings I found particularly interesting was Lily Wong Fillmore’s article, “When Learning a Second Language Means Losing the First.” Wong Fillmore and a group of researches decided to carefully examine the rising phenomenon of “subtractive bilingualism” in the United States through careful interviews of hundreds of immigrant families. The researchers’ findings, and the subsequent implications, are quite concerning and disheartening.

Previously, I had not considered the significant consequences of a young English Language Learner being immersed in a school culture that speaks solely English, or very little of his/her native language. Because of powerful forces of assimilation, social pressures, a desire to fit in, a need to communicate, etc., as children spend more and more of their time in this school culture they begin to lose their native languages, creating a language shift within his/her family; although the phenomenon is present in other areas of the world, the United States appears to have a much higher rate of subtractive bilingualism because we do not especially value ethnic diversity. Losing a primary language can have far-reaching effects on a child and his/her family. In many cases, parents are no longer able to socialize or communicate with their child, nor share their values, beliefs, understandings and wisdom with them, all of which holds the potential of breaking a family apart. Children can experience educational difficulties as a consequence of losing their primary language as well. Often times, children give up their native language before they have become efficient in English and risk the chance of never fully developing either language.

As a future teacher, I am concerned and disheartened by what we have learned from Wong Fillmore and other researchers’ findings. Learning a second language should not mean having to lose the first. Thus, I completely agree that children should not be required to learn English before they have fully developed their native language, but is this idea even possible in our present education system? How can we transform our school cultures into more accepting places where it is easier for children to maintain their cultural identities? 

Global Education

Today I attended the Washington State Council for the Social Studies’ Legacies and Lessons Learned Conference. I found each presentation I sat in on to be very intriguing. However, the presentation I was most moved by was “Creating a Road Map for Global Education in Washington State.” This presentation was given by an organization called Global Washington, an organization dedicated to building a collaborative plan to incorporate global learning into Washington’s public schools. Presently, the opportunity for access to global education is quite varied depending on the resources available to children, families and schools, which is of no surprise. The presenter spoke of the need for, and importance of, improving access to a global education for every child here in Washington State.

I love the idea of striving for a more global education in our public schools. One of the most important ideas I took away from the presentation was that a global education, to me, highlights the study and practice of human connections, realizing that we are all connected and creating citizens who make decisions based on local and global considerations. There are a number of steps we can take now in an attempt to enrich and globalize our own teaching and curriculum including, striving to bring the world into the classroom through guest speakers who share their heritage or personal experiences, building community awareness, and enriching and fuel geography courses. According to Global Washington, 9/10 students want to know more about the rest of the world. Isn’t it time that we listen?