For this entry I interviewed my mother, Norma Gomez. My mother
was born in Mexico and moved to the United States of America with her family
when she was only two months old. I learned that she found the transition to be
difficult as she did not have much help and guidance at home. At the time, she
only knew how to speak Spanish, and she was thrown into an environment where
she had to learn how to communicate in order to get by. Not one single person
at home spoke English, only Spanish. Not only did she have little assistance at
home, but there was also minimal assistance at school. When my mother was in
school, the teachers had a very hands-off approach. The did not do much to
incorporate helpful strategies into the classroom or their lessons. Instead,
they would simply pair her with a student that was a fluent English speaker.
They would also tell her to refrain from speaking Spanish in the classroom. According
to Wright, “When teachers look only at English, or only at standard English,
they render the students’ other languages invisible and deny the students the
opportunity to use their languages as resources” (2015, pg. 39). My mother
became a fluent English speaker around the age of 7. She does not credit her
parents, her siblings, or her teachers for becoming a fluent English speaker.
She credits learning English to her peers and her environment. Wright wrote, “Sociologists
today view language as holistic, dynamic social practice or discourse, and they
look at the ways that people use language to make meaning in context” (2015,
pg. 37). Learning a new language goes beyond academics, it’s about fitting into
a new society. Although it was difficult learning a new language, my mother is
proud of where she comes from and who she is today!
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English
Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia: Caslon
Publishing.
Hello Melissa, thank you for your interview with your mother. Your mother stating that she was not allowed to use her native language in the classroom was a bit shocking though sadly not too surprising. Though it is dying out, subtractive bilingualism was prevalent in the education system. Subtractive bilingualism rout, which happens when “a new language (in this case English) replaces a student’s home language (in this case Spanish)” (Wright, 2015, pg. 21). I do like that your mother’s teachers/ school had her pair up with fluent English speakers so that they are learning from their peers in a comfortable environment, without fear of being judged.
ReplyDeleteCrystal,
DeleteWhen my mother first told me about not being allowed to speak her native language in the classroom, I was so surprised! The way ELL students are treated in the classroom is so different now compared to when my mother was in school. It’s great to know that there has been progression since, and that now the way ELLs learn is being taken into consideration by teachers.
Melissa G.
DeleteMy friend Erika went through something similar in her elementary school, though she felt it was more that the teachers wanted to make sure the students were not saying anything inappropriate. I can understand this, I hope that her teacher was politer about it than one of my middle school teachers. She was already stern with her class rules but one day she informed the class that this was and English class (English literature) so no more speaking Spanish during class. She also said something along the lines of it being rude to those around them for not being able to understand them. These were the student’s private conversations that were going on before class or when we were transitioning within the class.
Hello Melissa Gomez,
ReplyDeleteI really learned a lot about English Language Learners from your interview with your mother, Norma Gomez. It was surprising for me how Ms. Gomez was expose to an environment were only native English speakers were present. Ms. Gomez explained how she needed to learned English as “quick as possible to be able to communicate with her peers”. According to Wright (2015), “as students learn the new language, they gain knowledge about how to use the language in sociocultural contexts and construct their social identities through their participation in language mediated-activities” (p. 58). Even though teachers’ instructional approach didn’t help Ms. Gomez progress in learning English, her peer interactions and helping one another help Ms. Gomez develop English language skills necessary for school.
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing.
Carla,
DeletePeer interaction definitely had a huge impact on my mother developing English Language skills necessary for school. Personally, I think it would have made the transition a lot smoother for her if she were placed in a classroom that consisted of both ELLs and native English Speakers. I think it would have been less of a culture shock, but nonetheless, she was still able to catch on.
Hello Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post very much! Its is unfortunate how she had difficulty learning english upon her arrival in the US, but she was fortunate to have such a fantastic friends around her that help her get use to the new world around her ! I wonder how difficult it was for her and her family members, and I very much appreciate how strong minded she was in learning her language. On a previous post and in the book wright stated "Those whose parents do not know English have a further obstacle in learning" (p. 15). " statement and I feel that her family had a hard time and is now striving in todays world thanks to the enviroment and their dedication.
thanks again for this post see you in blog #3!