Essay Topic

[Unkotare]

A prompt I usually give my highest-level ESL class at least once a year is basically as follows:

"Should every K-12 teacher be required to demonstrate facility in at least one non-English language?"

 

[Donald H]

A prompt I usually give my highest-level ESL class at least once a year is basically as follows:

"Should every K-12 teacher be required to demonstrate facility in at least one non-English language?"

My opinion as a Canadian is 'no'. I can elaborate if you care to hear it.

 

[Unkotare]

My opinion as a Canadian is 'no'. I can elaborate if you care to hear it.

Feel free.

 

[Donald H]

Feel free.

To begin with I think you're encouraging intolerance of students toward teachers. And further, Americans are already intolerant toward other people's rights to speak their native tongue. That differs from most modern countries.

You don't get my participation without your own contribution.

I've offered the opportunity to discuss the question. Let your thread die if you like.

 

[Unkotare]

To begin with I think you're encouraging intolerance of students toward teachers....

Where the hell do you get that?

 

[Unkotare]

.... Americans are already intolerant toward other people's rights to speak their native tongue. ....

Says who?

 

[ABikerSailor]

A prompt I usually give my highest-level ESL class at least once a year is basically as follows:

"Should every K-12 teacher be required to demonstrate facility in at least one non-English language?"

Yanno...................one of my biggest regrets about HS was not taking Spanish and learning a second language. Especially after I started to deploy to the Med, since most languages in that area are Romance languages, and if you understand one, you can kinda make out the others.

Then, there were the people that I talked to in those countries. Interestingly enough, MOST people in Europe speak at least 2 languages fairly fluently, and there are lots of people who speak 3 or more.

I also learned that over 80 percent of the people there speak English, and most do so fluently, BUT, if you walk up to someone and ask "do you speak English", they will usually say no, and asking them louder and slower does nothing to get them to help you out.

HOWEVER..............................

If you walk up to them with a phrase book, big smile on your face, and ask for directions or whatever else you need in the native language, most will let you fumble around for a short time, then will smile back and tell you that they speak English. And, a lot of them are appreciative of the chance to practice their English with an American (if you try to speak their language first however).

Do I think that teachers should be able to demonstrate a facility in another language? Yeah.................I kinda do. And the reason for that is seeing the vast amount of other people who aren't American who speak a second language.

And, while I don't think they need to be fluent, I do think that they should at least have a passable ability in another language, because that might encourage some of their students to try learning another language which can be extremely valuable.

And, while I never actually learned another language, I DID make sure that I could at least say "please", "thank you", "where is" and "how much" in whatever language was used in the places I visited, as well as made sure I always had a small phrase book with me when I left the ship.

 

[Zincwarrior]

You would decimate your teacher base extremely quickly.

 

[Unkotare]

You would decimate your teacher base extremely quickly.

Not as much as you might think. Most of the teachers I know know at least a little of another language. It might be a matter of a brush up her ongoing classes after school or something. In my department most teachers speak at least one other language quite well.

 

[Zincwarrior]

If you pulled an economics theory and assumed ( ) all teachers could gain such facility in school it would be fine.

 

[Unkotare]

If you pulled an economics theory and assumed ( ) all teachers could gain such facility in school it would be fine.

Most teachers with any significant experience already have such facility.

 

[Zincwarrior]

Most of my math teachers couldn't communicate in English, much less another language.

 

[Unkotare]

Most of my math teachers couldn't communicate in English, much less another language.

I am pretty sure all of the math teachers where I work speak at least a little Spanish. I know that one is a native Chinese speaker, at least one other speaks French, and one is fluent in American Sign Language.