The children of immigrants make up 20% of all youth in the U.S. These children become interlocutors, speaking the mother tongue at home and navigating the way in the new language and culture for their families. Many immigrants and children of immigrants experience what is called 'dual-consciousness,' or viewing the world with binary lens. As bilingual education is still on the margins of acceptance in the U.S., many children only have the opportunity to speak and learn their mother tongue at home. Most educative experiences for bilinguals do not promote balanced knowledge of two languages, but rather emphasize English at the expense of the native language.For this reason America, the melting-pot, has also been referred to as the cemetery for languages.
Yet with over 300 languages spoken in America the notion of literacy becomes one of culture, as well as multilingualism. It is interesting that parents and teachers alike are recognizing the importance of learning a second language, almost before bilingual or 'mother tongue' education has taken root in our country. In some New York schools Chinese is taking precedence over Spanish. Illustrating how we no longer live by the confines of borders, but by the ebb and flow of global order.
Yet with over 300 languages spoken in America the notion of literacy becomes one of culture, as well as multilingualism. It is interesting that parents and teachers alike are recognizing the importance of learning a second language, almost before bilingual or 'mother tongue' education has taken root in our country. In some New York schools Chinese is taking precedence over Spanish. Illustrating how we no longer live by the confines of borders, but by the ebb and flow of global order.
Learning a foreign language has actually never been so accessible. Especially outside of the classroom, in the limitless world of the web. You can read the news in one of 32 languages or do language learning on BBC, get online translations, skype, watch films - and today I discovered a library of children's books at the 'International Children's Digital Library' where you can read and look at thousands of books from around the world. Some of the books are bilingual, which can give the reader a vignette not only into the language, but also the related culture. As a book-lover and proponent of utilizing technology I am beholden by the site and its vision.
Have you heard of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis?It is the belief that language is relative, both structuring and patterning our ways of thinking and acting. This would make the learning of language an important part of understanding other cultures and vs versa.
* All images are from books available to read online at http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
Dear Paideia,
ReplyDeleteI just read your beautifully written blog and thought you might be interested in an upcoming PBS documentary (Speaking in Tongues: 4 kids, 4 languages, 1 city, 1 world) that takes a look at bi-lingual learning from the fascinating perspectives of four kids and their families.
Here is a brief synopsis:
At a time when 31 states have passed "English Only" initiatives, one urban school district is exploring the provocative notion that speaking a foreign language can actually be a national asset. The film follows four diverse students and their families as they encounter the challenges and delights of becoming fluent in two languages. As we witness their journey, we see how speaking more than one language changes them, their families, their communities, and maybe even the world.
Together, they represent a nexus of challenges facing America today: economic and academic inequities, de facto segregation, record numbers of new immigrants, and the need to communicate across cultures. Using a verité story-telling approach, the film follows our characters as they enter the portal of language and open their minds to new ways of thinking and being in the world.
In a time of globalization and changing demographics, bilingualism offers them more than an opportunity to join the global job market. Language becomes a metaphor for breaking down barriers between ourselves and our neighbors—be they around the corner or across the world.
You can screen the entire film here on our press URL -- http://206.111.142.8/DownLoads/SPEAKINGINTO_Screener_MonthlyEmail.mov
And there is more information about the film and the filmmakers at the website http://speakingintonguesfilm.info/
If you'd like to see the press release, please let me know what email address to send it to.
Speaking in Tongues airs nationally on PBS stations in "Back To School" timeslots and on PBS WORLD September 8th. As this topic is sure to be of interest to your readers, we invite you to review the film on your blog.
Many thanks for your consideration --
Kristin Fellows
on behalf of "Speaking in Tongues"
www.kristinfellows.com
kristin@kristinfellows.com
828.335.6525