Reply to Entering Oyster as Spanish-dominant -- Spanish proficiency test?

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Reply to "Entering Oyster as Spanish-dominant -- Spanish proficiency test?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The lottery isn't meant to touch the "culture" issue.  It's meant to keep the programs balanced between the number of kids who come in with Spanish and English.  Period.

If we are going to attach significance to "culture," who is more culturally "Latino":

1). A white 7 year old who has spent half of their life living in a Spanish-speaking country, received all schooling in Spanish, and has all Latino friends,  but has white parents who were raised in the U.S. And speak both English and Spanish, or

2). A 7 year old who has never visited a Spanish-speaking country, was born and raised in the U.S., who has Latino parents who were born and raised in the U.S. and speak both English and Spanish, or

3). A 7 year old who has vacationed in Spanish speaking countries, attended Spanish immersion preschool and early elementary at a bilingual school, been supported with native Spanish tutors, but has white parents.

I feel like this discussion overall ignores the modern world.  In my view, all of the kids above are entitled to a spot if they can pass the test.  It seems silly to suggest that only #2 qualifies.  [/quote]

Oyster's admission criteria for a seat via the Spanish lottery requires Spanish dominance from a native speaker.  Whether someone is dominant or not is pretty clear.  A native speaker is defined as someone who speaks that language as their first language rather than having learned it as a foreign language.  Therefore, a native Spanish speaking child has been spoken to (at home) in that language since birth.  Thus, if any of the children listed above don't meet that definition (NO MATTER THEIR RACE OR ETHNICITY), they don't qualify.   Number 3 clearly doesn't qualify--I'm not sure about  #1 and #2 (more info. about their first language is needed).  My children attend Oyster, and there are many  OOB kids enrolled whose first language is clearly Spanish...even if they are now English dominant from attending a school in the U.S.  The kids in my oldest child's Spanish reading group (the highest level in the class) ALL have at least one native Spanish speaking parent--it does make a difference despite what some are saying on this thread.  There are a few students in the class who are receiving tutoring, despite the fact that they attended a bilingual preschool.  English is the only language spoken in their home.[/quote]

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