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05.27.2002
ESL: not worth the money?

This past weekend there was an article in the Madison-based paper, the Wisconsin State Journal.  The article talked about ESL, English as a Second Language and how students in our schools who did not learn how to speak English as their first language are being neglected by teachers who have to keep up with the curriculum.

The article went on to state that the students who sit in class are bored because they don't have the knowledge to speak English and are left behind in our school system.  I think that people are failing to see the other side of the spectrum.  If myself were placed into a place where English was not spoken, like Russia, I would know very very very few words.  I think my Russian vocabulary is limited to Vladamir and Gorbachev (if I even spelled those correctly!)  If I were placed in Russia to go to school, or whatever, I would not have my own teacher teaching me RSL, Russian as a Second Language.  Why do we cater to those who do not want to learn our language?  How many times do you see/hear/read something in Spanish.

I know of a spanish family who have taught their son both languages.  They felt is was a great tradition to teach him Spanish as a part of their heritage but also recognize that English is needed in this country.  I praise that family.  Why do we not have more people like them around?

Our nation offers the citizenship test in how many different languages?  Why not have this test in English only?  We spend so much money in taxes every year employing people to translate everything into different languages.  There are translators in court, police certified translators, translators in the hospital, translators everywhere. 

ESL.  How 'bout EFL (English as a First Language).  Just a thought.