Bilingualism Essay

Martin Espada also argues that cultural aggression causes diversion amongst communities and that Spanish speakers receive unfair treatments due to suspicion and fear from non-Spanish speaking people. Between the communities of Spanish and Non-Spanish speakers the presence of violence and bullying lingers and affects both of the involved parties. Espada writes about one of his encounters with an

The need for bilingual education is not directly related to the need for the student to have a more pleasant learning experience, but based more on the increasing need for these individuals to learn about their heritage, how they can present themselves to others in different scenarios, and being knowledgeable in both languages at a dual equivalence. The key

Bilingual education, as Rodriguez states, "romanticizes public separateness and trivializes the dilemma of the socially disadvantaged."

For more than 300 years, immigrants from every corner of the globe have settled in America, creating the most diverse and heterogeneous nation on Earth. Though immigrants have given much to the country, their process of changing from their homeland to the new land has never been easy. To immigrate does not only mean to come and live in a country after leaving your own country, but it also means to deal with many new and unfamiliar situations, social backgrounds, cultures, and mainly with the acquisition and master of a new language. This often causes mixed emotions, frustration, awkward feelings, and other conflicts. In Richard Rodriguez’s essay “Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood”, the author

In the public, Espada has an equal reaction towards bilingualism. He believes that anyone should be able to speak their language anytime. Espada supports his view by describing an encounter with a man who threatened Espada because he was speaking Spanish: “‘That’s what they’re trying to do to all of us,’ . . . . ‘But it won’t work, porque yo hablo español con el corazón’” (Espada 96-99). The Spanish phrase translates to “because I speak Spanish with my heart”, which indicates that Espada will not cease conversing in Spanish even after a man threatened him for doing so.

Movements for bilingual education rose in 1974 with the Equal Education Opportunity Act and Bingual Education Act, which ordered federally funded schools to meet special educational needs for students not proficient in English. Unfortunately, dropout rates and lack of English-language proficiency alarmed the states that these bilingual programs were not efficent. Because of this, arguments between English-only advocates and supporters of bilingual educations emerged. Articles such as the New York Times have proclaimed the failures of bilingual education. One cause could be the resistance of immigrants from English language acquisition, who hold tight onto their first language and culture. Despite this, studies show that generations

Martín Espada seeks to create a Spanish-friendly environment, where Spanish is openly spoken. He believes that the school system should cater to bilingual students, and aid each student in learning by teaching them in their native language, or easing them into English, rather than throwing the kids into an English-only environment right away. In a mythical world where Espada is king, there would be no lexical discrimination. English would not be forced upon others, and no language would be banned nor targeted. Everyone would be free to speak any language, anywhere, at any time, without having to worry about being belittled or threatened.

In Richard Rodriguez's essay , “ Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood ” he writes about how he struggled as a child who only spoke Spanish language but lives in a society where the “public” language is English . He believes that speaking proper English will somehow help him fit into society and find his “true” identity. Throughout the essay he contrast the Spanish language identity and English language identity. As a young boy, Rodriguez finds consolation and safety in his home where they only speak Spanish. He feels that he only has a true identity when he is at home surrounded by those who speak the same language as him . On the contrary , he becomes trapped and disoriented when not being able to speak / understand the English language . He feels as if he is not part of “their world” and has no identity in society. By comparing and contrasting Spanish language identity and English language identity . Rodriguez's essay is an example that speaking different languages should not make anyone choose an identity . In fact being able to speak and understand multiple languages in his case Spanish and English makes the language a part of his identity, but with two different sides .

Rodriguez defines bilingualism as he elaborates on his story of learning English. Arriving to the US and only speaking Spanish challenged him and his family. Their home illuminated a safe place, a place where he could speak Spanish. At school, his teachers would call on him purposefully trying to make him speak/learn English. In despair he mumbled, until the day his safe place disappeared when his parents began to speak English at home. Now with no outlet, he attempts to raise his hand in class and communicate with others. This monumental shift of avoiding speech to trying to communicate helps Rodriguez explain “Sound and word were thus tightly wedded” (23). The liberating moment where he can comfortably communicate with others without such a big effort rewards Rodriguez, for he can fit in with society: “And the point was not self expression alone but to make oneself understood by many others” (21). To talk comfortably with others provides a source for community and self expression. Although Rodriguez had a difficult time learning another language, he views bilingualism as someone who can fit in with multiple communities and has a balance of public and private life.

Speaking two or more languages is like a country having an atomic bomb during a war. The first situation is advantageous to a person and the second situation is advantageous to a country. “Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood” is a memoir of Richard Rodriguez’s bilingual childhood and it was originally published in Hunger of Memory in 1981. In Rodriguez’s memoir, he discusses why he disagrees with bilingual education. His audience is bilingual or anyone that has an opinion towards bilingual education. The purpose in Rodriguez’s memoir is to inform people of the effects of bilingual education and persuade bilingual educators why bilingual education shouldn’t exist.

Introduction - Being a part of a bilingual speaking family, like with my mom and dad who are Chinese immigrants, is an experience that no one can imagine unless you are part of a bilingual speaking family. Experiences such as knowing a language that not many of our neighbors don't know can be frustrating for both sides. Being young in my early years, learning English was not only a struggle for me but for my family. I noticed that my parents struggled learning english and communicating with the outside world. From buying groceries to paying for the bills, I observed the painful experiences that my parents persevere through all these years. I was glad public schools gave me the opportunity to not only learn English but to help my family live in this English superior society.

Through multiple languages a person develops a more heterogeneously diverse identity resulting in them being unique. Also

Moreover, throughout Rodriguez’s essay he tries to to show us that he believes that bilingualism in the public and schools is not the the priority but to be able to function in society is. He illustrates this when he finally understands how to speak English. Rodriguez states ”I spoke in a loud voice. And I did not think it remarkable when the entire class understood. That day, I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier”( 95-98). He calls himself disadvantaged because before he could not function in the classroom, due to him only knowing Spanish. But as he learns English he feels as though he can succeed. He also portrays this when he talks of how there would be other people in his home after school other than his family. Rodriguez states “When I arrived home there would often be neighborhood kids in the house”(132-133). Now that he understands english he has friends. There is no need for him to use Spanish. As English is what everyone uses to communicate.

This situation also supports the statement of Lyon(1996) that children become bilingual across the world in many communities and this can play a major part in the families into which they are born, and in their later lives at school. Bilingualism occurs within complex, multi-layered context, but from the child’s point of view the family is where it all begins.

First, it is important to identify two main types of bilingual education; transitional and maintenance. Transitional means the primary focus is on learning the dominant language, while drifting apart from the minority language. On the other hand, maintenance deals with maintaining and developing the L1 while also trying to learn the dominant language (Hidden Curriculum, 2014). The main focus of maintenance is to help the child maintain their cultural identity while also trying to help them learn the minority language while living in a society that is prevalent in that specific language (Hidden Curriculum, 2014). Now that we have had the chance to talk about bilingual education and talk about two important aspects of bilingual education