Language Barriers for Non-Speaking Citizens
The Language Barrier for Non-English Speaking Citizens
Lynne Lilley
Com/150
University of Phoenix
Com/150 March 8, 2010
The Language Barrier for Non-English Speaking Citizens “No Habla English”. “21 million people living in the United States cannot speak English. Citizens are not just speaking Spanish, but Chinese and Russian are rising fast.” (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2009) To force a citizen to speak a new language is discrimination. Non-English speaking citizens and immigrants that are without good English skills will fall academically, in the judicial system and when receiving proper medical care. 47 million Americans five years and older used a language other than English. The children that have no English skills will not be able to understand what the teacher is trying to teach. Children will not be able to do their assignments correctly and will eventually fail the class. ”Some illegal immigrants are raising their children without teaching them English, hoping that the school will do that job. The Washington Post recently reported that as many as two-thirds of the children in suburban Arlington County, Virginia, receiving language assistance from kindergarten through second-grade born in the United States to non-English-speaking parents who don’t read to them, talk to them, or provide them a background in any language. (Not Speakiing their Native Tongue, 1996) A child being educated in English opens many doors of opportunities. English as a Second Language learner has more benefits than those of native English. Native speakers tend to speak in slang or use clichés and have bad grammar skills. There are even laws to wanting to learn another language as opposed to not knowing another language. In Albany, Georgia, they are trying to pass a law that students no longer have Spanish classes in schools and parents need to hire a tutor to come in to their home and teach the child a foreign language. Learning English will benefit a child not knowing the
Lynne Lilley
Com/150
University of Phoenix
Com/150 March 8, 2010
The Language Barrier for Non-English Speaking Citizens “No Habla English”. “21 million people living in the United States cannot speak English. Citizens are not just speaking Spanish, but Chinese and Russian are rising fast.” (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2009) To force a citizen to speak a new language is discrimination. Non-English speaking citizens and immigrants that are without good English skills will fall academically, in the judicial system and when receiving proper medical care. 47 million Americans five years and older used a language other than English. The children that have no English skills will not be able to understand what the teacher is trying to teach. Children will not be able to do their assignments correctly and will eventually fail the class. ”Some illegal immigrants are raising their children without teaching them English, hoping that the school will do that job. The Washington Post recently reported that as many as two-thirds of the children in suburban Arlington County, Virginia, receiving language assistance from kindergarten through second-grade born in the United States to non-English-speaking parents who don’t read to them, talk to them, or provide them a background in any language. (Not Speakiing their Native Tongue, 1996) A child being educated in English opens many doors of opportunities. English as a Second Language learner has more benefits than those of native English. Native speakers tend to speak in slang or use clichés and have bad grammar skills. There are even laws to wanting to learn another language as opposed to not knowing another language. In Albany, Georgia, they are trying to pass a law that students no longer have Spanish classes in schools and parents need to hire a tutor to come in to their home and teach the child a foreign language. Learning English will benefit a child not knowing the
Cited: Lost in Translation. (2006, January 17). New York Times , pp. 1-2. Not Speakiing their Native Tongue. (1996, May 14). Washington Post , p. A1. U.S. Bureau of Census. (2009). Retrieved March 2, 2010, from U.S Bureau of Census website: http://factfinder.census.gov unknown. (n.d.). Yolanda Prtida, M. D. (2005). Language Policy and Practice in Healthcare. Fresno: Center for Medical & Eduacation Research.