Jun 29 2008
Learn English!
I just want to talk about the English is a Second Language classes in California. These programs are not working. People are coming out of the classes still not speaking English properly. And now Obama wants to put more money into these special classes. McCain wants to do what ever it takes to make sure immigrants learn English. Whatever that means, hopefully it means lower the time limit that immigrants are allowd in the ESL classes.
My friend came over to the United States of America in the 7 grade, she learned to speak the English language and how to write from left to right instead of right to left in 6 months! She was not from a upper class background either and her parents did not speak English very well either. She worked hard and transfered right out of those classes. Other immigrants need to work harder too! Now I know that she is just one example, but come on! When I tried to speak to the people in the ESL classes they did not even respond back to me. They always stayed amongst each other and did not even look like they tried to learn the language and socialize. If we ended more of these special programs and entitlement programs earlier America families would have some extra money in their pockets!
“Whatever that means, hopefully it means lower the time limit that immigrants are aloud in the ESL classes.”
Sweetie, I suggest you lay your hands on a dictionary and check what “aloud” means. Try “allowed” instead. For a native English speaker, your writing is horrible.
“My friend came over to the United States of America in the 7 grade, she learned to speak the English language and how to write from right to left instead of left to right in 6 months!”
Umm, unless you’re suggesting that the good ol USA has adopted an Arabic type script, I would guess you mean “…from left to right instead of right to left in 6 months!”
What would you propose as alternatives, then?
While I will admit that interest in picking up the language may be a limiting factor, there are a lot of other things you need to take into account. One is that the older people get, the more trouble they have picking up new languages. Another is that not everyone’s brain is wired for the same level of language acquisition; I’ve known people who picked up new tongues with amazing speed, but I’ve also known a few people who could go through an entire semester of a foreign language class in college, making their best efforts right the way through, and not be very far from where they started in the beginning. Your friend strikes me as quite talented; I consider myself to be linguistically gifted, and I wouldn’t consider myself fluent in either of the languages I’ve studied despite having had three years of classes and a decent range of independent study in both.
Besides, if the kind of attitude you’re displaying here is most of what the people in these classes have to deal with from the locals around them, it’s small wonder they’re only talking to each other. Have you tried, I don’t know, encouraging them? Maybe making the first move instead of expecting them to come to you? I hear it works wonders.
ABC
Hey thanks for pointing out my mistakes, how ironic is that! haha
Ravyn
Yes, I do know that people work at different speeds, but if these programs are not working then we need to stop putting our money towards these programs. A different system needs to be put in place.
And I did make the first move.
I was under the impression that in order to legally immigrate into the US, you had to already speak English. I could be wrong. So, if this is true, that would mean that those in the classes are illegals. Illegal = breaking the law in order to enter the country. WHY is my hard earned money that the government takes out of MY check paying for a program for citizen from other countries who are breaking our laws?????