Why start a Spanish FLES program at a majority Hispanic school?

[Anonymous]

My kids go to a FCPS elementary which is a majority Hispanic school. I can't pull up the FCPS website right now (I think it's down) but pretty much all those kids do speak Spanish and there is a sizeable minority of kids that speak languages at home other than Spanish/English. The school just started the FLES program (Foreign Language in Elementary School) and Spanish is the target language. In the letter that came home, it states "students will be learning how to greet each other, how to say his/her name in Spanish, identify colors, months, days of the week and also learn vocabulary in Spanish that will support what they are doing in Science and Social Studies. It will also be cultural enrichment". The class is twice a week for half an hour each class.

I'm a big supporter of learning another language. I speak two languages other than English and my DH is South American and our kids speak Spanish fairly well. But, I question the value of the program. There's one teacher for a school of 700 students and many of the kids already speak Spanish or are non-Spanish speakers needing ESL. It would seem better to use FLES resources on something like smart boards or an additional teacher so there are smaller class sizes or even an extra recess twice a week. What's the point in teaching Spanish to a majority Spanish speaking school?

[Anonymous]

Just because you have been exposed to spanish at home does not mean you can speak it properly or even can put together a coherent sentence. The point of teaching Spanish is so that the children will learn Spanish. (PS I am also South American).

[Anonymous]

As a bilingual teacher and parent, I can sadly report that many of the kids who speak a second language cannot read it or write it. That could be addressed through this program. Also, I don't know about FCPS, but in APS the FLES funding is also a way to lengthen the school day and end early release Wednesdays. Spanish instruction can also be accompanied by additional music or art in this program, depends.

[Anonymous]

When I was in high school, all the Spanish-speaking kids took Spanish, and all the Chinese kids took Chinese. Judging by recent AP scores in FCPS, I am guessing this hasn't changed.

[Anonymous]

In a majority Spanish speaking school it seems to be a way to get around pupil teacher ratios and get an extra ESL teacher.

[Anonymous]

Spanish immersion for hispanics defeats the purpose of ESOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spanish immersion for hispanics defeats the purpose of ESOL.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to a FCPS elementary which is a majority Hispanic school. I can't pull up the FCPS website right now (I think it's down) but pretty much all those kids do speak Spanish and there is a sizeable minority of kids that speak languages at home other than Spanish/English. The school just started the FLES program (Foreign Language in Elementary School) and Spanish is the target language. In the letter that came home, it states "students will be learning how to greet each other, how to say his/her name in Spanish, identify colors, months, days of the week and also learn vocabulary in Spanish that will support what they are doing in Science and Social Studies. It will also be cultural enrichment". The class is twice a week for half an hour each class.

I'm a big supporter of learning another language. I speak two languages other than English and my DH is South American and our kids speak Spanish fairly well. But, I question the value of the program. There's one teacher for a school of 700 students and many of the kids already speak Spanish or are non-Spanish speakers needing ESL. It would seem better to use FLES resources on something like smart boards or an additional teacher so there are smaller class sizes or even an extra recess twice a week. What's the point in teaching Spanish to a majority Spanish speaking school?

What school is this?

[Anonymous]

I wish FCPS would lengthen the total school hours for foreign language. They don't and as a result everything is squeezed together and the kids have no time for lunch and recess. An extra hour a week (total time of FLES) would be the perfect amount of time to add to the school week and balance everything out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to a FCPS elementary which is a majority Hispanic school. I can't pull up the FCPS website right now (I think it's down) but pretty much all those kids do speak Spanish and there is a sizeable minority of kids that speak languages at home other than Spanish/English. The school just started the FLES program (Foreign Language in Elementary School) and Spanish is the target language. In the letter that came home, it states "students will be learning how to greet each other, how to say his/her name in Spanish, identify colors, months, days of the week and also learn vocabulary in Spanish that will support what they are doing in Science and Social Studies. It will also be cultural enrichment". The class is twice a week for half an hour each class.

I'm a big supporter of learning another language. I speak two languages other than English and my DH is South American and our kids speak Spanish fairly well. But, I question the value of the program. There's one teacher for a school of 700 students and many of the kids already speak Spanish or are non-Spanish speakers needing ESL. It would seem better to use FLES resources on something like smart boards or an additional teacher so there are smaller class sizes or even an extra recess twice a week. What's the point in teaching Spanish to a majority Spanish speaking school?

What school is this?

I am guessing it is one of the new FLES schools listed in this thread:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/229942.page#2407911

[Anonymous]

Speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on. The parents may not be able to read and write in Spanish and neither may their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on. The parents may not be able to read and write in Spanish and neither may their children.

If they are attending public schools, shouldn't the kids be learning English? Isn't that what ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on. The parents may not be able to read and write in Spanish and neither may their children.

If they are attending public schools, shouldn't the kids be learning English? Isn't that what ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is for?

Yes, they are learning English but Spanish as a second language. ESOL is mainly for if you have probelms with English. But if you speak English just fine because your were born and raised here but you happen to be exposed to Spanish at home it makes no sense to forbid that child from taking Spanish as a second langauge. I am betting that if the second language being taught at schools were French you wouldn't have a problem with it and wouldn't even bring up ESOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on. The parents may not be able to read and write in Spanish and neither may their children.

If they are attending public schools, shouldn't the kids be learning English? Isn't that what ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is for?

There are many U.S. born children who are in ESOL for this very reason. If you speak anything other than English at home, you are automatically tested for ESOL. Many elementary ESOL students move through the program very quickly because they are so young, but we have had kids at my high school who are STILL in ESOL even though they were born here. In this case, there is usually something else going on other than language issues.

As for FLES, I do think it is valuable even for native speakers to "learn" Spanish in school. This way they can learn to read and write as others have said. They can also learn correct grammar and more vocabulary. This will help make their English learning stronger as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on. The parents may not be able to read and write in Spanish and neither may their children.

If they are attending public schools, shouldn't the kids be learning English? Isn't that what ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is for?

Yes, they are learning English but Spanish as a second language. ESOL is mainly for if you have probelms with English. But if you speak English just fine because your were born and raised here but you happen to be exposed to Spanish at home it makes no sense to forbid that child from taking Spanish as a second langauge. I am betting that if the second language being taught at schools were French you wouldn't have a problem with it and wouldn't even bring up ESOL.

If kids speak English at home and they speak it just fine, I have no problems with them studying whatever world language they want. But the PP stated that "speaking Spanish in those households may be all that goes on." You are comparing two totally different scenarios.

Why would I want to suggest confusing matters even more and offering French? That makes no sense.