Should ESL classes be taught in public schools? (middle east, illegal immigration, Mexicans)
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Who said anything about being in this country illegally? I came to the USA when I was 14 years old. I was a legal immigrant from the time I set foot in the airport. I didn't speak a word of English. I learned how to speak and write it in ESL classes, in high school. I see no difference between those English classes and French or Spanish classes for American kids. Both curriculums are teaching a skill that will benefit both the individual and our nation. The USA is one of the few countries in the civilized world where most citizens don't speak a second language. In Europe most people speak two or more languages.
The gist of this thread is that taxpayers are tired of paying for ESL classes for illegal immigrants. That is the sum and total of the disagreement.
It's true that foreign languages (ASL is not a foreign language but is taught in many colleges) are available in school and are a requirement for most undergraduate degrees.
However, these classes are not being offered on the taxpayer's dime. I think that the issue with ESL is when it is taxpayer funded. I have no problem with people paying for either their own or their children's English lessons.
born to illegal parents seems to give them special extra free-b's at American
tax payers expense. Being an illegal means you should not have ANY rights
to anything funded by American taxpayers. Those schools and many other
programs are being paid with American tax dollars, for Americans and legal
immigrants. These blood-sucking leaches need to be expelled!
It is my opinion that anyone moving to a foreign country should be willing to learn the primary language of that country-period. It is rude to expect the natives of any country to pay to accommodate your inability to communicate in the national language of that country. However, that said, there are many who come to this country-America- under circumstances that did not allow them to learn th language prior to arriving. These immigrants have children who need to begin learning as soon as possible once they arrive. To help these children it is necessary sometimes to offer ESL or ELL assistance in the schools. While it would be greatif we could assign a dollar value to this and "charge" immigrants for the service, we as Americans have always opened our doors and hearts so to speak to immigrants. For the most part we are all immigrants to this country. As the good host we try to help the children by working with the to learn English through the public schools.
It is the responsibility of the immigrating parents and students to work hard to obtain a working understanding of the English language and to exercise it regularly. My two cents.
Should ESL classes be taught in public schools or should parents be required to pay for their children to learn english?
Personally, I dont think we should have to pay for what some parent didnt do. The parent should have to fork over extra money to put their children through special ESL training to improve their english skills. I am tired of Americas kids having to go to school and loosing out because some parent chose not to teach their child english. They shouldnt recieve special treatment for not knowing english and their ESL needs should not be met by the public schools. I understand if a student knows some English, but when parents make NO attempt to teach their children english, thus failing the other kids in school, it really bothers me.
What do you think?
I only read the opening thread statement so I don't know what has been covered. But I'll say this. My mother (before the far right starts in, let me assure you she thinks Obama is the anti Christ) teaches English in an ELL program to mainly Mexican immigrants. Many of these students are illegal (regrettably) but they are here. It is of our best interest that they are educated as far as they can be to a reasonable extent. Let's teach the illegals English, because they are here.
At this point there is no way to exclude them from our public education system. So the children are here, and most of them are "anchor babies", so there is no legal avenue for removing them. Because of this, we should at least try to make them the most productive members of society that we can. That means we must teach them English.
ESL is state funded. ESL programs are way better than those bi-lingual education schools. I'd rather have my tax dollars going to ESL than bi-lingual ed. Kids at bi-lingual schools don't learn as much, or as fast than the kids in ESL programs.
I really dont support either but you are right that bilingual education is much worse. ESL needs to have a limit. Six years of ESL is too long. Actually, there are different programs with bilingual education. Dual-imerssion program has a higher sucess rate than any of the others when it is structured...however, sucessful for English speakers only. Spanish speaking students do not benefit from this program. It actually sets them back.
Last edited by zacatecana; 03-31-2009 at 01:01 AM..
Reason: add
I have always thought that speaking engish should be a requirement of anyone that wants to become a citizen and that governamnt should provide classes. this makes economic sense to me and prevents severalo generations of so many being stuck in poverty and cost in goverannt and businesses have language difficutioes. In the long run I think it more than pays for itelf.
I have always thought that speaking engish should be a requirement of anyone that wants to become a citizen and that governamnt should provide classes. this makes economic sense to me and prevents severalo generations of so many being stuck in poverty and cost in goverannt and businesses have language difficutioes. In the long run I think it more than pays for itelf.
I completely agree with you when it comes to adult classes. The thread was directed at children in public schools. If they are already in school, then it is obvious they are receiving english classes just as any other child.
NO. Learn English on your own like all other immigrants did in the history of this country. I am so sick of the immigrants, legal and illegal, demanding such things. I say...Go home and leave our country alone.
Last edited by Reads2MUCH; 03-31-2009 at 03:31 PM..
Reason: inappropriate language
I really dont support either but you are right that bilingual education is much worse. ESL needs to have a limit. Six years of ESL is too long. Actually, there are different programs with bilingual education. Dual-imerssion program has a higher sucess rate than any of the others when it is structured...however, sucessful for English speakers only. Spanish speaking students do not benefit from this program. It actually sets them back.
Dual language could benefit if they were done right but generally they're not. At least in dual language classrooms, the Spanish speaking students could come into contact with American kids and the interaction would be beneficial, they would hear English and pick it up.
The way they do dual language here is they put the English speaking kids with an English speaking teacher half the day and vice versa with Spanish speaking kids and a Spanish speaking teacher and then switch teachers. It's a total waste of time and money and robs the kids of half a day of learning and segregates the kids just like bilingual classrooms do.
I think the thing to do would be offer immersion classrooms where children from foreign countries could learn English - children can pick up languages quickly but even adults learn best by immersion.
My neighbors did that with their 4 year old, he spoke no English, they enrolled him in a private English speaking preschool. He understood nothing at first but in 3 months that little boy was rattling on in English, playing with other kids just fine and completely ready to start kindergarden.
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ESL- the question
