answer me this...?

Question

why are there so many people wanting immigrants to learn english, yet they complain about how bilingual classes and ESL classes are being offered to immigrants?

think about how you learned english? in school right?

bilingual classes is simply a way for immigrants to learn english for their (and your) sake

and ESL (english as a second language) classes are the same thing. simply ways for immigrants or people who do not know english very well to learn the language.

what is this hypocrisy?

Answer 1

people just like to complain..i agree with you...in order to learn the laungage they have to be taught..they do not offer this where they come from..more people who are doing the somplaining should be the ones reachig out to help these people get legal..help them learn the lauguage and how to operate in sociaity.

Answer 2

Actually, I learned English at home - by the time they go off to school, most people have learned to talk.

It's been consistently shown that the best way to become fluent in a new language is immersion. Bilingual education, and, to a lesser extent, ESL the way it's taught in the USA, do not work as well as immersion. What's more, immersion is actualy less resource-intensive.

Really, the purpose of bi-lingual education is not to help kids learn english, but to 'preserve' the language of the old country. It's an understandible but counter-productive impulse, especially if that language is the one used in the home.

Answer 3

I want legal immigrants to learn English in a ESL program.

Bilingual classes should be taught only to those who are learning English. No legal citizen born here should not have to sit in a bilingual class if they know English. We learned English in school because it was already our primary language.

Why? That is the way it works in other countries.

Why have bilingual classes when only 15% of the population is Hispanic?

Otherwise, am I going to get free Spanish lesson in Mexico? Doubtful. If the US pays the cost to provide ESL to everyone, that comes out of taxpayers pockets too, and will be in the millions.

Answer 4

I really don't feel ESL classes help at all, because it gathers all the non- native English speaker in one class, how do you learn if everyone has poor English, sometimes including the teacher. I personally think it's a waste of money, to learn a language it's best for people mingle with native speaker, so you'll feel the pressure to make friends and learn.

My mom took many ESL classes, it really never worked for her- only family member can understand her English, her English really never got better until she started working and making American friends.

Answer 5

No,I learned English from my mother long before I started school. I was speaking the basics around year 1 I believe like most children.
I don't mind a special class set aside for legal immigrants to help their English. It should not however disrupt the education of those who already speak and learn in English and it should not be payed for in any way by tax payers.

Answer 6

Bilingual classes are NOT teaching English. Those classes teach in the native language only! A friend of mine from graduate school who taught in a bilingual Spanish school because she was a native Spanish speaker--a born citizen, incidentally, because she's Puerto Rican--says all the time that those in that school have no desire--and no need--to learn English because they aren't expected to use it.

The only good thing about bilingual classes is putting native English speakers in those classes so they can actually learn the language that they have to study in high school instead of filling in blanks in workbooks.

ESL classes DO teach English. Who has a problem with ESL classes? My husband, also a born citizen in Puerto Rico, learned English from 2 years of ESL in the local community college when he came to the mainland and from watching TV, especially "The Price is Right."

Perhaps you should know what you're talking about before you accuse people of being hypocritical.

Answer 7

I learned to speak English at home before I went to school. But I am all for ESL classes! After all, if the tables were turned I would want the opportunity to learn the native language of whatever country I was in. So don't worry, not all of us are hypocritical idiots.

Answer 8

LEGAL Immigrants are required to have a working knowledge of English. Many countries now teach their elementary students English as a part of the class. My question is, "Why can't we teach other languages the same way foreign countries teach English?"

Answer 9

Well its part of the Naturalization process that you know English BEFORE you become a citizen. So you can understand why many of may be upset that we may need to press 1 for English or that government forms are supplied in Spanish . But to answer your question i have no problem with government classes to learn English for LEGAL immigrants provided we weed Spanish out.

Answer 10

There is no hypocracy. Immigrants need to learn full ENGLISH as a primary language. Take a full english courses, not some stupid english as a second language or bilingual class, they do not teach the full english language.

Answer 11

I think everyone who graduates from American schools should be at least bilingual. Everyone should learn English and a second language of their choice. This settles the debate as people learn English, but have to learn a second language of their choice.