seriously, what arguments can we present students to speak their language faced to the widely spoken english?

Question

hi, i am a teacher, and my students will have to defend their native language/a debate with another school defending the use of English in our daily life. People nowadays are using English language (specially English expressions) in public places/chattings,etc.. The point is how to preserve our language, and do we speak English as to be "on with fashion", up to date, to show that we are educated, etc...
This applies to all schools who teach English as their second language. Our native language is Arabic but the arguments apply to all educators, and i guess the French will understand me more and be helpfull here
Thanks

Answer 1

Students will speak English for all those reasons you have mentioned. (to be "IN FASHION") But, their native language will never die because it will always be needed IN their daily life.
Shopping in stores, using Arabic.
Speaking to OLDER family members and other OLDER adults.
Using the LAW, speaking to police.
Speaking to their brothers and sisters. children always communicate with their siblings in the native language.

In my home my children speak English to me. But at school, the children do not speak English. Therefore, at home, the children speak Nederlands to each other. This is true of EVERY home where the parents are of different nationalities.

If you travel to South America, you can't speak much Arabic there. But that is only 2 weeks out of your life. Your students really must speak Arabic for 50 weeks a year. Arabic will always be preserved.

Answer 2

Speaking your native language gives value to your culture. Studies have shown the when people are told to speak only English they feel shame about their heritage and language and many times their cultural history is lost. English only education denies students who speak another language of an equal opportunity. Learning to read in the first language helps the students to become better readers. Knowing 2 languages also helps with vocabulary because of cognates and words that are similar. For example; when I teach Spanish the word "mascar" means to chew. Most kids do not know the word "masticate" in English which also means to chew. I teach them both words. It helps to reinforce the vocabulary word in the new language. The amount of English required for performing abstract educational tasks requires 5-7 years of learning English. This clearly puts students at a disadvantage. There are many more arguments at the site below. It actually gives you both sides so it could really help to prepare you for the debate. Good luck!

Answer 3

A person's native spoken tongue can never be allowed to become a forgotten thing. With its use, the history and ancestral pride ever truly vanish.

That being said however, the need for a language of commonality in public venues is paramount.

We should not expect a person to forgo their native tongue, but the reverse holds true as well.... we cannot expect someone to have to learn something else in order to provide a common service to others.

All Government officials, and all service providers should be expected to be able to properly converse in the 'common tongue'.

It is never the right of the minority to determine what the majority should have to do in a community setting. It is the duty of the minority to adapt where possible to the majority in order to cooperate with the whole.

It is also not the right of the majority to stop the use of the minority's 'difference' just because it is not fully understood. The majority must attempt to act as a 'community partner' and at least familiarize itself with what is different about the minority.

Answer 4

I always find it amusing that some feel they have to go out of their way to separate themselves from the rest of the society in order to "preserve their heritage" If you know how to speak your native language then you have already preserved your heritage,if you choose to use your native language in environments where you know that it removes you from those around you then you are just being separatist,and then you wonder why they don't care what you think about anything.

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