Why are so many families interested in Dual Language?

[Anonymous]

I don’t really get it. I happened to grow up bilingual (English/Japanese) and I know the research in terms of benefits for the mind. However Spanish? It’s not even the language of business. It’s also not like the US majority will be dominant Spanish in this lifetime. Mandarin I can kinda see why since it can be very lucrative and it’s a tough language. Spanish I picked up in middle school-HS (started classes in 6th) but I am from CA and had plenty of friends to practice with. So I am trilingual.

Not a parent yet, but 21y/o teacher and my fiancé is already talking about this dual language business. Haha. I had no formal teaching in Japanese, yet I am fluent. Idk I’d rather go Montessori.

I also used to be a para at a school in DC w/dual language and the PK-K teachers were undoubtedly excellent....the rest pretty mediocre. Parents do not get to see the drama a school really has...I’ve seen this school mentioned and I always want to scream, waaaaiiiit. Perhaps my upbringing and experience at a school has caused me some bias lol.



Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Wow. I don’t even know where to start:

- “Not even the language of business.” Only 40 million native Spanish speakers in the US and 350 million in the world, but sure, there’s no money there. We’re just an impoverished people with no economic buying power, right?

- “ Spanish I picked up in middle school-HS (started classes in 6th).” Yes, I’m suuuuuure your 1hr/week classes in middle and high school made you sufficiently bilingual and bicultural. *eyeroll*

[Anonymous]

To get access to DCI, because it is better than their other options, many people embrace DL elementaries even if they don't really want it very strongly. Or just because it is what they got in the lottery and better han their other options.

People think it ensures their child (if a non-dominant speaker) will be challenged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I don’t even know where to start:

- “Not even the language of business.” Only 40 million native Spanish speakers in the US and 350 million in the world, but sure, there’s no money there. We’re just an impoverished people with no economic buying power, right?

- “ Spanish I picked up in middle school-HS (started classes in 6th).” Yes, I’m suuuuuure your 1hr/week classes in middle and high school made you sufficiently bilingual and bicultural. *eyeroll*

VS over 900 million mandarin right? I’m sorry if I hit a nerve. It’s just if we are talking about in terms of corporations/big money mandarin would be better.

No, it was an hour everyday, and I took AP Spanish in the 2 final years of HS so it might as well have been 20 hrs a week lol. You must be unaware of the rigor of HS these days, it’s only been a few years but I’m sure it’s harder now.
I also lived in Barcelona for a year So ya, I am bilingual never said bicultural. No big interest in that for Spanish atm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To get access to DCI, because it is better than their other options, many people embrace DL elementaries even if they don't really want it very strongly. Or just because it is what they got in the lottery and better han their other options.

People think it ensures their child (if a non-dominant speaker) will be challenged.

That makes sense, the US is really behind in terms of languages. Bilingual is pretty common in other countries. Hopefully that will change in the future.

[Anonymous]

You know what I don't get? Why you're even posting here since you're not a parent. Are you bored?

[Anonymous]

Uhhh. I was with you until you said Spanish. Personally I think kids should be exposed to languages but not expected to learn, because doing it right requires intensive, immersive learning and it’s often not done well

But I use Spanish all the time so I don’t know what you’re talking about there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know what I don't get? Why you're even posting here since you're not a parent. Are you bored?

I will be a parent in the future and my fiancé is already thinking about DL. I’m also a teacher so sometimes I browse this forum to see what parents think about my school. Is that ok with you, your highness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get access to DCI, because it is better than their other options, many people embrace DL elementaries even if they don't really want it very strongly. Or just because it is what they got in the lottery and better han their other options.

People think it ensures their child (if a non-dominant speaker) will be challenged.

That makes sense, the US is really behind in terms of languages. Bilingual is pretty common in other countries. Hopefully that will change in the future.

Bilingualism is not common in Europe. Learning other languages is common though. I took have taken 6 foreign languages for example. I'm not bilingual and do not want to send my kids to a bilingual school. I want them to learn other languages.

[Anonymous]

I see people are going to be stuck on Spanish.
For future readers of this post, there’s nothing wrong with Spanish! My school always uses me as the ‘Spanish Translator’ all the time, it’s very helpful with some parents.
It’s helpful in Spain too, which is one of my favorite countries in Europe. Mexico is also pretty great too, and the rest I have yet to venture to.

The point was will I get paid a lot more for knowing Spanish? No, even if I were to change my profession.
Some people really take things so personally. I’m seriously only wondering why DC parents literally go crazy for dual language!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know what I don't get? Why you're even posting here since you're not a parent. Are you bored?

I will be a parent in the future and my fiancé is already thinking about DL. I’m also a teacher so sometimes I browse this forum to see what parents think about my school. Is that ok with you, your highness?

NP, but you sound pretty immature. Glad you're not teaching my kid--are you sure you're a teacher, and what grade could you possibly teach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get access to DCI, because it is better than their other options, many people embrace DL elementaries even if they don't really want it very strongly. Or just because it is what they got in the lottery and better han their other options.

People think it ensures their child (if a non-dominant speaker) will be challenged.

That makes sense, the US is really behind in terms of languages. Bilingual is pretty common in other countries. Hopefully that will change in the future.

Bilingualism is not common in Europe. Learning other languages is common though. I took have taken 6 foreign languages for example. I'm not bilingual and do not want to send my kids to a bilingual school. I want them to learn other languages.

Really? It seemed like every country I went to people could speak English. Not everyone but a great majority of people I encountered, living in Barcelona for a year and then separate months traveling to other countries.
Thanks for your answer!

[Anonymous]

Some pick a second language up easily in h.s. others will struggle and never be fluent if they don't get it during that early window. One of my kids has the easy ability to pick up languages. The other does not. I wish we had gotten into a bilingual school for her sake - the ability to think in two different languages will likely never be hers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know what I don't get? Why you're even posting here since you're not a parent. Are you bored?

I will be a parent in the future and my fiancé is already thinking about DL. I’m also a teacher so sometimes I browse this forum to see what parents think about my school. Is that ok with you, your highness?

NP, but you sound pretty immature. Glad you're not teaching my kid--are you sure you're a teacher, and what grade could you possibly teach?

I’m 21, there’s still things I need to learn but I know how to be professional when the environment calls for it and when I should be respectful. It’s not immature to ask a question and I don’t think your passive aggressive jabs really make you a mature person.
But the feeling is mutual, all my parents love me, thank goodness I don’t have any who are so irritable.

I will say I put some bias in the post (which I said) and perhaps I could have worded it better.
This will be my last response to you, have a lovely evening

[Anonymous]

OP sounds trollish, immature, and racist.

Putting all of that aside, there are over 500 million Spanish speakers in the world, and the overwhelming majority live in or close to our time zones. There's a whole hemisphere of untapped opportunity. Not the language of business, you say? I learned Spanish as a second language and became an international lawyer with work and contacts in a dozen Latin American countries. Then I retired and can travel freely to virtually anywhere in Latin America that I want and enjoy authentic cultural experiences with real people in places where others without my Spanish language skills can only dream of.

I'll also guarantee that when OP was in Barcelona she was speaking English because her Spanish wasn't very good.

Grow up, OP. You have a lot to learn.