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My kid is starting kindergarten this year and I stumbled on a question on the school registration paperwork regarding the question we speak at home. Technically we speak a different language at home but our kid has been in preschool since 2 and speaks English very well (if not better than our own language). Naturally we also watch TV and speak English to our local friends, etc. When introducing new words, we also say them in two languages.
But I've heard that if a child is identified as ESL then they'd be subject to additional tests till the end of school, etc. I don't want our kid to be singled out and get into some kind of ESL hell just because of my answer. But I'm not sure this information is correct and applicable in Wake county.
Moral issues of honesty aside, does anyone know what consequences answering this question differently might have?
I would answer the question honestly. You cannot predict what problems (if any) your child may have down the road and you don't want to have anyone find out later that you weren't forthright on the answer to that question.
I would state that you do speak another language at home, but I would clarify that your child is equally fluent in that language AND English.
I had kids in my classes when I taught elementary school who had parents who spoke Spanish at home and they spoke English better than their parents most of the time.
One of the kids I taught was in ESL classes in kindergarten, but got pulled out while I had him in 1st because he was simply so proficient in English that it was determined that he no longer required ESL services.
I had one when I taught 4th that had been in ESL as a kindergartener, but was also removed because her English was too good to keep her in ESL.
ESL isn't a horrible thing. Better to be in your child's situation (two language proficiencies) than to be the kid that's in school with my daughter right now in 7th that cannot speak a word of English and the kids in class not even sure what nationality he is. My daughter thinks he's Korean, by the way. She's half-Taiwanese, so I reckon she's been looking for signs that he's Japanese (what the teacher says he is), but honestly, my kids study Japanese a bit as a hobby and my daughter said he's not spoken a single word that she understood, so I'm beginning to wonder. Oy.
I'm serious.
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Be honest. They aren't looking to punish or penalize your child. They are looking to make sure they know if there is anything they need to help with.
My neighbor spoke an Indian dilalect in their home for the most part (due to Grandma living there who did not speak very good English), but they spoke near perfect English. The school knew....it was not an issue...no extra tests, no looking down the nose...just awareness.
You're not going to be subject to ESL testing hell. In fact, just because a child is classified as ESL doesn't even mean you'll meet standards for pull out services.
I would let the school know - often kids in the position as yours have a little more trouble with pronunciation of certain words and things like that. But based on what you describe it will likely be a non-issue, so be honest and don't worry about it.
As far as consequnces? None, but when you meet the teacher s/he is gonna know you aren't a native English speaker and will probably keep an eye on you child "just in case", maybe wonder why you didn't answer the question truthfully. Trust me when I tell you teachers notice everything
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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I wouldn't mention the other language if I were you. I have a friend whose first language is German, which they speak at home. However, their children were raised in English-speaking Canada since birth before they moved here. Her kid's English is as good as any native's. Every few months her kid had to take the ESL test. She said until she scored 100% on it. And while it wasn't "hell" it was an additional test she didn't need to take. She was sorry she wrote that they speak another language at home. It's really a dumb question. In Europe, most people speak several languages. Just because you speak a different one at home should not subject you to extra testing in English if you are already proficient at it.
ETA: This was in Chapel Hill schools. I assume Wake County is the same. I'm pretty sure my old county in Virginia did it the same way.
ETA: This was in Chapel Hill schools. I assume Wake County is the same. I'm pretty sure my old county in Virginia did it the same way.
I would not make that assumption about Chapel Hill v Wake schools. Chapel Hill is OVERLY concerned about their test scores....they will make sure that nothing and no one brings down their average and are more aggressive in making sure that nothing is out of place. They are going to make sure an ESL student is identified when testing time comes.
This works for some parents, as they may want or need that level of over-sight. Others view it as another hope to jump through.
There is no reason not to be honest with the school.
if you are easily conversant in English, and your child speaks it even better, then I wouldn't worry about it at all. For better or for worse, they're dealing with the approximately 20% of students whose parents don't speak English easily if at all.
Personally, I wouldn't put it on there if you feel confident in their English and don't think they need any type of help.
So you don't think teachers need to have such information about their students? Also, let's face it, sometimes parents do overlook issues a student may have....because, it can't be that their precious snowflake might need a little support with something.
So you don't think teachers need to have such information about their students? Also, let's face it, sometimes parents do overlook issues a student may have....because, it can't be that their precious snowflake might need a little support with something.
I agree.
If a child started speaking English as their first language and/or learned 2 languages right away (as babies/toddlers) I probably would just state that they'd spoken English and (whatever other language) since language acquisition.
As it is, the OP stated that the child learned English in preschool, which indicates that English was NOT the child's native language. With parents at home who speak a language other than English, it is more likely that the child may have some minor language issues in elementary school and why not correct them now instead of having them perpetuate?
I dunno... I see no harm in being transparent.
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Last edited by RedZin; 02-26-2014 at 01:43 PM..
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