Reply to Segregation Is Coming

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[quote=Anonymous]Students should first be taught how to read and write in their native language. Once they learn the mechanics, they have less issues learning how to read and write in English. Now, this works best with European languages, of course.

Many Hispanic kids show up to school with little to no training in sound recognition in either Spanish or English. Imagine trying to learn how to read and write in a language you don’t even know.

Also, the previous examples here of people learning the local language in a year or two before the age of 10, is possible because they, most likely, were the only kids at the school who did not know the local language, and had no other option but to learn it to make friends. The percentage of Spanish speakers in schools like Herndon Elementary, is so high, there is no incentive for many of the new arrivals to learn English. The kids can easily make friends in Spanish.

These kids not only fall behind learning English, but they do not learn science or social studies content either. If they could be taught some of these subjects in Spanish, their self esteem might improve. I am not a fan of the fcps immersion model, as it does not emphasize teaching language arts. I mean, isn’t that the point too?

I would suggest two years of language arts in Spanish, and then transition to English, especially for k-2 grades.

I taught in language immersion schools for over ten years. Yes, kids are sponges, and they learned quickly, but their parents were professionals, who often already spoke the target language. The situation in fcps is different, especially for the native Spanish speakers. 
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