...speak a language other than English. Being bilingual comes with the most well-known advantage, the ability to communicate with people from different cultures. ¨It [bilingualism]...
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...Reed 1 Christina Reed Professor Wilkinson English 100 05 May 2015 Bilingualism One in seven or 31.8 million people speak a language other than English in their home, according to the United States Census. (United States Census, 2009). People use this term in different ways. For some, bilingualism means an equal ability to communicate in two languages. For others, bilingualism means the ability to communicate in two languages but with the possibility of greater skills in one language. There is a lot of criteria that goes along with bilingualism. For this research paper, the criteria I focused on were: The history of bilingualism laws in the United States, pros/cons of bilingual education in America’s school system, who benefits the most from bilingual education programs; youths in elementary or the youths in high school, bilingualism in the labor market, and bilingualism in the media. In the society that we live in today, Bilingualism has become just as it is important to learn as to learn the language from the country of a person’s ethnical background. Bilingualism has come a far way in the last 20 years to where it is today. Whether we notice it or not bilingualism plays a part in every person’s day to day life. Bilingualism is highly researchable subject is given a lot of political, as well as ethical attention. Twenty years ago in the school system bilingual education programs were almost never heard of much in elementary schools for English speaking students to...
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...Bilingualism – Education aspect Twisted Tongues: The Failure of Bilingual Education This article talks about the failure of bilingual education in the United States. Part of the article gives personal experiences from people who have dealt with bilingual education, in which they have bad experiences. Most of the them say that they feel like their children are discriminated against because of their last name or ethnicity. For example, in one experience the parent says that their child was shy during his kindergarten examine and did not talk and the administrator put him as bilingual even though he wouldn’t speak, then assumed the child did not understand. The article goes on to talk about different problems within the education system, how parents feel about it, what is being done to help the situations and the emphasis being taken on bilingual education (Porter, 1998). Bilingualism in Education This article talks about the advantages of bilingual education in the United States. The author feels that if a student learns another language throughout their schooling that they have a better chance of possible even picking up on a third language. Additionally, the author feels that it would benefit them to learn other languages so that it is easier to adapt to different cultures, especially if they were to travel around the world. It would open up many opportunities for them and teach them more grammar as well as heritage of their culture (Wordpress). Bilingualism – Politics...
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...The world is very large. With over 7 billion people on this earth, you can imagine that there would be a plethora of different languages. Over 6,500 different languages are spoken throughout the world and all of them are unique. In the United States, English has been the main language and any other language spoken in the US is frowned upon. With many different cultures in the US, bilingualism has become a big thing with many people speaking English and their native language as well. In the small biography about Martin Espada, he talks about him battling bilingualism and trying to integrate the spanish language into American society. Espada believes that being bilingual gives people of sense of power, a little advantage over people who only...
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...This ability is called bilingualism. According Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development, bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages. II. Attention Getting: My name is Lotta Ntsame and I am from Gabon . I am bilingual because I am from a french speaking country ,so I speak french and since I am in the United States I also speak English. Preview Main Points: Today, I will explain how being bilingual is beneficial for people. Body: I. Cognitive Advantages According Buzzle.com, bilingual people have some advantages in thinking because they have two or more words for each idea and object. They can develop a creative thinking and an ability to think more flexibly, and they are more sensitive to the needs of the listener. II. Curriculum Advantages A. According Reshma Jirage in "Benefits of being Bilingual", a bilingual education offers better curriculum results. Bilinguals tend to show a higher performance in examinations and tests. B. Binlinguals also find it easier to learn a third language than monolinguals find it to learn a second language. III. Cultural Advantages A. Bilingualism helps to understand other cultures. Walthan Forest notes that bilinguals have two windows on the world. They have the opportunity to experience two cultures. For example, they can easily listen music and watch movies from other countries. B. Bilinguals have a greater tolerance of differences in creeds and customs . C. Ashley Eidler adds that bilingualism helps when you travel....
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...people who are bilingual are smarter. The profound effect of bilingualism improves cognitive skills not related to language and helps prevent against dementia in old age. Bilingualism was considered an interference that hindered a child’s academic and intellectual development. The interference happens because the brain activates both languages so they obstruct each other. However, this interference is in fact a blessing in disguise because it actually forces the brain to resolve internal conflicts which gives the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles. Some instances were bilinguals surpass monolinguals in intelligence are at solving certain types of mental puzzles. The article explains a 2004 study conducted by psychologists Ellen Bialystok and Michelle Martin-Rhee were “bilingual and monolingual preschoolers were asked to sort blue circles and red squares presented on a computer screen into two digital bins. In the first task, the children had to sort the shapes by color, placing blue circles in the bin marked with the blue square and red squares in the bin marked with the red circle. Both groups did this with comparable ease. Next, the children were asked to sort by shape, which was more challenging because it required placing the images in a bin marked with a conflicting color. The bilinguals were quicker at performing this task.”(nytimes.com) The article continued to explain the Bilingualism improves the brain’s executive function which is the command...
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...[pic] University of the East Manila College of Arts and Sciences Topic: “Children and Bilingualism” EN221 – 1M - Language in Culture Submitted by: Virgino, Clarisse Yvette P. Submitted to: Dr. Deborah Javier I. Introduction What is a Bilingual? A Bilingual person is someone who can speak or write in more than one language. A person who can speak/write in more than two languages is considered to be a multilingual. Bilingualism and multilingualism isn’t unusual. In fact, it’s the norm for most of the world’s societies. It is possible for a person to know more than one or two languages, most especially when the country is not in the western part of the globe, usually, people can speak two languages—that is, their L1 and L2, which, in this context, L2 is usually the English language. People become bilingual when they learn two languages at the same time, or, they learn the second language sometime after they acquired their L1. But then, it is more possible for a person to learn a second language sometime after he has acquired his L1. The problem is, the older you get, the harder it is to learn to speak a new language as well as a native speaker. Many linguists believe that there is a so-called “critical period” wherein the child can easily acquire any language that he or she is regularly exposed to. Under this belief, the structure of the brain changes...
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...Did you know that being proficient in more than one language could help a person focus? Neuroscience has been able to show that learning more than one language can give a person various advantages over people who are only proficient in one language. Studies have shown that people who are proficient in a second language have an increased amount of gray matter in specific areas of the brain associated with language and communication skills (Mechelli, et al., 2004). The brain is made up of white and gray matter, two types of tissues that are visible to the human eye. White matter is made up of fibers that function to facilitate communication between the body and gray matter. White matter gets its name from the myelin, a white, fatty substance that acts as an insulator, surrounding each axon. Gray matter is made up of cell bodies which function to send sensory and motor information to the Central Nervous System to create a response to a stimulus. Research and experiments done by a group of scientists test the density of gray matter in different individuals. Their experiment was conducted on eighty three people: twenty five were monolinguals, twenty five became bilingual at an early age, and thirty three became bilingual between the ages of ten and fifteen and have practiced the language regularly for at least five years. The scientists used voxel-based morphometry to record the differences between the brains of each individual. A voxel is a three-dimensional equivalent to a pixel...
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...Bilingual Education : Friend or Foe? Jennifer Smith Faulkner University Abstract This paper explores both the history of bilingual education as well as it’s implications for American Society. We will define the difference between bilingual education and bilingualism. It takes a formative look at the Bilingual Education Act to see our roots in bilingual education. We will examine both the advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism and it’s effect on the brain. Also, we will attempt to shed some needed light on just why this is such a hot political topic. Why do Americans still seem unwilling to accept bilingual education as a necessity for their children? Bilingual Education: Friend or Foe? Bilingual education is a polarizing topic in America. Torn between preserving American culture and what makes us American, and providing immigrant children with the same access to education that all Americans deserve, bilingual education is now a political topic in America. There have been many attempts to make positive changes in our education system concerning bilingual education. Even for those who agree that bilingual education is important, arriving at the answer to the best approach is on a meandering path. With decades of studies, opinions and speculation as to the right way to best educate English language learners, it is not unlikely that many Americans wonder if bilingual education is friend or foe? Answers to these questions...
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...discuss bilingual language education throughout the United States and other countries. It is estimated that throughout the world approximately 6,000 different languages are spoken and that fewer than 25percent of our world’s approximate 200 countries recognize two or more official languages (Grimes, 1992 ). Grimes (1992) also goes on to surprise us with this unbelievable statistic, being that only a mere handful of these 200 countries recognizing more than two. Despite the above conservative figures, data has shown that there are many more bilingual or multilingual individuals around the world than there are monolingual (Tucker, 1999). It is estimated, that there are many more children...
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...Does Bilingualism improve brain functioning? Although it is believed by many that it is impossible for children to master two different languages simultaneously, children who are bilingual are more effective learners because the children can benefit from bilingualism in their cognitive development and help to progress their mental health. This paper will examine Jean Paget’s and Lev Vygotsky’s Theories of Cognitive Development, and B.F. Skinner’s and Noam Chomsky’s Language Development Theories, describing relevant terminology, and addressing how the theory assists in the understanding of issues involved in the selected topic. Identify and describe at least two domains of human development (physical, biological emotional, cognitive, and/or social) and how they are impacted by the topic does bilingualism improve brain functioning. Identify and describe the stages of development that are affected by the topic does bilingualism improve brain functioning. Describe the cultural and historical perspectives of the chosen topic, demonstrating an understanding of how the topic has been perceived over time and by other cultures. Cognitive development is a comprehensive theory about the nature and development of human intelligence (wikipedia.com, 2014). When bilingualism is defined in the first way, as the characteristic of an individual who possesses two linguistic systems - we call it cognitive bilingualism (Hukuta and others, 1978). Bilingualism defined in the second...
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...Elizabeth Spencer 22nd April 2015 Bilingual Education or Not? The debate on whether United States should adopt the bilingual academic program whereby children speaking other languages are taught in two languages, in English and in a second, native language (Hayakawa, 1991). There have been studies and researches indicating the benefits of the bilingual academic program, particularly to the students – such as high academic scores, mental flexibility, improved personal identity etc. At the same time, there is evidence showing a number of downsides to the programs – such as double expense to the government, politicized aspects etc. The aim of this paper is to examine different aspects of the argument on the subject of bilingual programs in schools, and whether United States should make English as its official language. It also demonstrates the argumentative ability regarding the controversial issue of bilingual academic program in the United States. Honestly, I feel that the need to make English the official language of the country is preposterous. Only, because it practically is the main language of the country just unofficially. From a general point of view, the definition of bilingualism is whereby a person possesses the ability of easily and naturally speaking in two languages, without experiencing any problem whatsoever. However, from the context of United States of America, bilingualism has a controversial definition (Fallows, 1986) whereby it mainly refers to the use of...
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...Bilingualism is often times seen as a positive quality to have, however there are still people who do not completely understand why the concept of being able to speak more than one language is a good thing. Franklin Ruff, senior producer for Radio America, says that bilingualism in America is not effective for anybody living in the country and that it is simply being used to accommodate those who speak other languages. There are many American who feel like Ruff, and this mentality leads to discrimination, racism, and using language to oppress those, specifically minorities, that are multilingual. The most common form of oppression that minorities face is discrimination which can include racist and derogatory remarks, such as in the case of...
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...they learn English through the use of their native language, which provides a contextual basis for learning and allows them to keep pace with their peer group while acquiring the language they will need to learn in order to interact effectively in today's society. There are several other distinct benefits to the use of bilingual education, besides its basic effectiveness. First, it preserves children's sense of pride in the language of their parents, allowing them to move freely in an English-language dominant society while retaining an important link to their cultural and linguistic heritage. It helps protect their sense of identity, which is also strongly linked to the language and culture of their family and heritage. 2) The United States has often struggled with the role of immigrants. Do you think debates over immigration influence teachers’ ability to provide quality language education for immigrant children? I think the biggest debate on immigration influence is english only advocates. They argue that even if bilingual education is effective, it's still a bad...
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...Samuel Garcia, also an ESL professor, have written a complete language policy for Texas A&M, where they both teach. It focuses on the students in our school systems, who are more concerned with fitting in rather than preserving their unique cultures and traditions. ( Garcia, Garcia: 41) They state, “if students cannot navigate between both language systems, they may feel a need to negotiate their identity in order to be valued.” ( Garcia, Garcia: 41) As a young Latina girl, I personally experienced this growing up. I gave up my background in order to seem cool, I always wanted to have the lightest skin so I could be considered beautiful, and I always erased my identity for the sake of being “white,” to seem smarter and more beautiful. This was damaging to my self-worth, and makes me realize how eye opening the report made by my relatives really is. My aunt has poured her heart and passion into the importance of pushing Latino children to recognize their worth, both culturally and socially. Many students will give up their bilingual...
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