Aria 5

The author Richard Rodriguez argues that educators wanting to teach bilingual learners are unaware of the necessity of assimilation. Rodriguez illustrates his point by talking about his experience as a bilingual learner in the classroom and how assimilating affected his family. How he grew to view his native language as a private one that was not for the public how teachers would assume he was shy or behind his peers simply because he was not comfortable speaking English in public. When educators say that students lose there identity lose out on education by not being taught in English they are not taking into consideration the trauma already assimilated bilingual kids have to face. The embarrassment of speaking a language they consider deeply private in a very public setting with peers who do not understand them. The assumptions already built in and ingrained in adults that we are behind our classmates that we are not smart enough for the next grade level that we need to stay back for our own benefit. Rodriguez argues that assimilation while having its negative consequences helped him become who he is it gave him opportunities he would not have received had he refused to keep his native culture private. Before we can pass judgment on those that have had to lose part of the individuality we must ask why they felt that they had to do that and fix those systemic failings first. While I see the point Rodriguez is making and I understand where he’s coming from being a bilingual speaker myself I feel that he is letting his personal experience as a bilingual latino man color his opinions negatively on multilingual education. I believe many supporters of this model are bilingual learners themselves and are fully aware of the trauma students face with there native language as they have had to face them themselves and while I understand that most teachers in k-12 today do not understand the harms and benefits of assimilation from personal experience given the fact that most are white and natives langue is the dominate one they too can and have been educated on these experiences. They would not support it if they thought otherwise.  

Multi Language Learning in Rhode Island

Multi Language Learners Benefit from Dual Language Programs