NYC School Makes Learning Arabic Mandatory

[Clementine]

New York City elementary school makes learning Arabic a MANDATORY requirement for students

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/arabic_mandatory_at_city_public_UdLomjOOnZNfjDfs6YQrUN

Looks like someone at that school believes that Arabic is the language of the future. The article states that if parents don't want their kids learning Arabic, they'll handle it on a case by case basis. Makes it sound like the students would be treated as if they are doing something wrong if they don't care to learn the native language of the 911 terrorists.

I think the schools need to focus on the basics.

When it comes to learning foreign languages, let the children decide if they are interested or not. It's wrong to force them. We don't even expect illegals to learn English, so why the hell are we having other languages shoved at us?

Shouldn't more people living in the U.S. make the effort to speak our language instead of us being the ones to accomodate them?

 

[g5000]

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1vwQnleyp

Link is broken.

 

[g5000]

Here is the source story from the NY Post.

 

[gxnelson]

This is just wrong.
1. This is an elementary school, not middle or high school. Not the place for mandatory foreign languages, ever.
2. A public school?! I could possibly see this happening at a private school. But not the place.
3. Want to do it for IB status. Again, elementary school has no need to worry about IB. That stuff is high school material.

Same goes for any language a public elementary school tries to force kids to learn. Make it an option, like an immersion program.

 

[old navy]

Arabic ???

I have students who hardly speak English and if it weren't for texting, would not be very proficient at writing English. My school is getting more and more non-white and non American Black. Trying to get the students this year to do oral presentations was a nightmare. I have one Middle Eastern kid whose accent is so bad that I cannot understand much more than a greeting and a nod of the head.

Difficulties in communicating in the English language is one of the top reasons for low test scores and the low ranking of education in the United States.

 

[Sunni Man]

Arabic is the world's international language of the future.

Giving kid's a heads start by learning arabic will be of tremendous benefit for them later in life.

 

[Immanuel]

While I disagree with Sunni Man about Arabic being the international language of the future, I don't see anything wrong with teaching our kids foreign languages. I think it should be a requirement.

I don't know if it is still going on but thirty years ago or so, some elementary schools in California were teaching English speaking children Spanish. There were "bi-lingual" classes. It wasn't a bad thing at all. Good for the students minds to learn a foreign language.

Arabic though?

Immie

 

[old navy]

While I disagree with Sunni Man about Arabic being the international language of the future, I don't see anything wrong with teaching our kids foreign languages. I think it should be a requirement.

I don't know if it is still going on but thirty years ago or so, some elementary schools in California were teaching English speaking children Spanish. There were "bi-lingual" classes. It wasn't a bad thing at all. Good for the students minds to learn a foreign language.

Arabic though?

Immie

I agree, although we call it World Languages now. Don't want to offend anyone by calling them foreign. There IS a world language requirement but the student chooses which language (at least in my district). Learning Arabic is difficult. Some of our ME students are having problems with it.

 

[Immanuel]

While I disagree with Sunni Man about Arabic being the international language of the future, I don't see anything wrong with teaching our kids foreign languages. I think it should be a requirement.

I don't know if it is still going on but thirty years ago or so, some elementary schools in California were teaching English speaking children Spanish. There were "bi-lingual" classes. It wasn't a bad thing at all. Good for the students minds to learn a foreign language.

Arabic though?

Immie

I agree, although we call it World Languages now. Don't want to offend anyone by calling them foreign. There IS a world language requirement but the student chooses which language (at least in my district). Learning Arabic is difficult. Some of our ME students are having problems with it.

Piss on political correctness.

If a person has to be told to be polite to people of other groups then they simply aren't worth the wasted breath anyway. Not meaning you have to be nice to everyone as that is an impossibility, but blatant bigotry has no place in society.

Immie

 

[The Infidel]

Why???

Arabic could be the international language of the future???

Give me a freeking break! WTF have arab assholes contributed to modern society other than a world class group of terrorists?

I do believe it is a great elective, but to be a requirement. That is going over the line IMO.
We need more folks learning the language so we can better keep an eye on the radicals in Islam, but dont tell me my 5th grader needs to be required to learn arabic.

 

[Ariux]

I was expecting this to be a charter school, when I saw the thread title. But, no.

 

[Wry Catcher]

New York City elementary school makes learning Arabic a MANDATORY requirement for students

Upper Manhattan public elementary school becomes the first to mandate Arabic as a foreign language - NYPOST.com

Looks like someone at that school believes that Arabic is the language of the future. The article states that if parents don't want their kids learning Arabic, they'll handle it on a case by case basis. Makes it sound like the students would be treated as if they are doing something wrong if they don't care to learn the native language of the 911 terrorists.

I think the schools need to focus on the basics.

When it comes to learning foreign languages, let the children decide if they are interested or not. It's wrong to force them. We don't even expect illegals to learn English, so why the hell are we having other languages shoved at us?

Shouldn't more people living in the U.S. make the effort to speak our language instead of us being the ones to accomodate them?

What is more basic than learning a second language? The carryover, much as mathematics, aids in thinking and creativity. All school, and in particular elementary schools should include a foreign language along with English, IMO.

Is it Arabic that offends you or are you opposed to the teaching of all languages other than English? Keep in mind more than language is discovered when studying French, Russian or Chinese's, etc. - we are exposed to other cultures, cuisines and concepts. All part of a good Liberal Arts Education (Oh, that's probably what offends you!).

The more we understand about others, the less likely we are to fear and hate them. And of course, the less likely to make errors in our foreign policy when our president, leaders in Contress and diplomats, as well as members of the general population are so educated.

 

[Wry Catcher]

This is just wrong.
1. This is an elementary school, not middle or high school. Not the place for mandatory foreign languages, ever.
2. A public school?! I could possibly see this happening at a private school. But not the place.
3. Want to do it for IB status. Again, elementary school has no need to worry about IB. That stuff is high school material.

Same goes for any language a public elementary school tries to force kids to learn. Make it an option, like an immersion program.

Correct me if I'm wrong, my understanding is learning language is a skill/ability easier for the very young to learn.

 

[whitehall]

The left whines about learning standards, no child left behind and "why johnnie can't read" and why the US ranks low in math skills but they apparently approve the teaching of a difficult language because they have a vision about a jihad revolution.

 

[Sunni Man]

The left whines about learning standards, no child left behind and "why johnnie can't read" and why the US ranks low in math skills but they apparently approve the teaching of a difficult language because they have a vision about a jihad revolution.

Learning arabic = Jihad

Got it

 

[Katzndogz]

This is leftism that's out of control and will do no good whatsoever. If the school wanted to teach a language of the future, it should be Mandarin.

 

[chanel]

I agree. Calling Arabic the language of the "future" is quite the oxymoron, isn't it?

Young children should be taught foreign languages. But why not Japanese or German or Korean or Farsi, etc? Is there a large ME population in that neighborhood?

 

[whitehall]

The left whines about learning standards, no child left behind and "why johnnie can't read" and why the US ranks low in math skills but they apparently approve the teaching of a difficult language because they have a vision about a jihad revolution.

Learning arabic = Jihad

Got it

Arabic...the language of the future. Got that concept or did you sleep through social studies?

 

[gxnelson]

This is just wrong.
1. This is an elementary school, not middle or high school. Not the place for mandatory foreign languages, ever.
2. A public school?! I could possibly see this happening at a private school. But not the place.
3. Want to do it for IB status. Again, elementary school has no need to worry about IB. That stuff is high school material.

Same goes for any language a public elementary school tries to force kids to learn. Make it an option, like an immersion program.

Correct me if I'm wrong, my understanding is learning language is a skill/ability easier for the very young to learn.

It is much easier. But that should be the parents' choice as to whether or not they want their kid(s) to learn. I don't have a problem with the kids learning another language, but where it get's iffy is when a public school forces kids to learn a language. I don't care what language it is. It should be an option. Bilingual class or immersion program. But one that is optional.

 

[old navy]

I'd be happy if all my students were proficient in English.