Learning in two languages

By ⋅ September 8, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment
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Student in Mandarin immersion class (Photo: Najib Joe Hakim)

Most American children don’t learn foreign languages, and the opportunities are decreasing. Schools are cutting back on language programs, especially French and German. But immigration and globalization are creating new circumstances for language learning, along with new challenges. In our four-part series, we hear about some of them.

Native Spanish speakers in Southern California

September 7th, 2010
The fastest growing segment of the American public school population is English Language Learners. These ELL students, the majority of whom are born in America, sit side by side their native English-speaking classmates, but their test scores lag far behind. The U.S. Department of Education has now launched a civil rights investigation of the ELL program in Los Angeles. Officials say only 3% of ELL students at LA schools are proficient at Math and English by the time they reach high school – but some public schools doing far better than others. Nina Porzucki reports from one of them in Downey, California.

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Arabic immersion school teams up with FBI

September 8th, 2010
Some kindergartners in California spend half their days learning Arabic. Muslim immigrant families there like the program but they’re troubled by the school’s partnership – with the FBI. Hana Baba from station KALW in San Francisco has the second part of our ‘Learning in Two Languages’ series.

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Haitian student in New York

September 9th, 2010
Since the earthquake in Haiti, thousands of Haitians have arrived in the US. Many of them are young people who were in the middle of high school back in Haiti. One grassroots organization in Brooklyn, New York, helps such students finds places at schools over here. The World’s Alex Gallafent has the story.

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Speaking in Tongues

September 10th, 2010
A new PBS documentary profiles four kids who are attending dual immersion public schools in San Francisco. The filmmakers are husband and wife team Ken Schneider and Marcia Jarmel. Their own kids go to a dual immersion school and speak fluent Chinese. Patrick Cox has part four of our series.

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Discussion

3 comments for “Learning in two languages”

  • http://www.japanwithkids.org Cornelia

    I have to side with the “dual language is good for developing intelligence camp”. Also, a surprisingly large number of Americans are speaking two languages even if English is the language in which they function the best. It’s not all that unusual. We are still a nation of immigrants. I grew up bi-lingual. A language is not simply a form of communication. It is a different way of thinking, a different culture. Being bi-lingual give you two ways of seeing things, and finally two ways of approaching problem solving. There are other languages taught at school, such as math, and music. I think any use of public money on education that provokes the brain to function at a higher level, is money well spent.

    • Amy

      Well said!

  • Ilona

    10/29/10…there was a short story about oud Middle-East instrument, which I don’t see it on your webside, it was right after Halloween in Europe, please let me know if you are planning to post it