English Language in Puerto Rico - Essay Example

Introduction For years, the difficulty of Puerto Ricans in utilizing and propagating English as a medium of language is somewhat evident up to present age. In different prestigious global pageant, Puerto Ricans including those that are in Latin American countries are found of using interpreters during question and answer portions. In international summit such as UN convention, they are also guided by interpreters. There are people who wonder why this nation doesn't seem to fully accept the English language were in fact, the latter is the medium used by a number of countries. However, for the benefit of the doubt, one cannot deny the fact that it is maybe Puerto Ricans are having difficulty in learning the English language. Due to the fact that Puerto Rico was once a colony of Spain, it is evident that these people has Spanish tongue in which they prefer to use such a language even though the island is somewhat under United States- their currency, form of government and even military security is from US (www.isreview.org)1 The question now rises, why is it that Puerto Ricans are not found of using the English language On the second note, despite the fact that English is their second language, why is it that there are only few that uses English as their language In this case, there are struggles involving trade, oneness and understanding between Puerto Ricans and English-speaking nations. There are a lot of accounts which "English has long been viewed on the island as both a tool of liberation and an instrument of oppression. Children are told from the earliest grades that English will be vital for their educational and professional advancement, while they are also cautioned that learning it too well may endanger their Puerto Rican identity (Pousada 1999)2". Torruellas (1990)3 studied three private schools, which is deemed as cradle of English teaching, found out that the level of mastery of English may vary on the social rank of the clientele of the particular private school. Only students in schools catering on the elites were only those who are trying to succeed in oral and written English. Students in middle class private schools had developed a sort of "counterculture" of resistance toward the language and its teachers. With this, difficulty in communicating with Puerto Ricans is still a complicated task to do and still a far-fetched dream for many. Phenomenon such as communicating through sign language with Puerto Ricans is still evident nowadays. There are accounts that show a "zero-communication" process with these people meaning it is next to impossible dream if you would try to communicate with these individuals if you are to use English as a medium. The fact that in 1990's Puerto Ricans presumes that if they are to sift from one language to another, then it would also be a room for these people to loose their identity. They deem that their language is the only language that is to be propagated and therefore learning another language is not their outmost priority. Also, Resnick's (1993)4 argue that Puerto Rican society has correctly assessed that language spread may lead to language shift which may then lead to language loss. This sense of patriotism is somewhat a hindrance for the majority of Puerto Ricans to learn English language. Being entangled in such a scenario, majority of them doesn't understand English and would not even comprehend simple English lessons or even sentences. Having this scenario, many Puerto Ricans in case they prefer to study in the United States are not performing well in their respective learning institutions or below par with regards to the expected outcome of their academic status. Also, educators deem that in order to fare with other students as well as for them to be globally competitive, the use of English language should be the priority rather than the propagation of Spanish language. It is very important than how English is presented is how Spanish is presented in this country, also, Puerto Rican Spanish suffers linguistic insecurity of speakers that has been documented in a number of studies and certain analytical tools (cf. Betancourt 1985)5. Among Spanish varieties, it is often disparaged, mocked, and devalued by other Hispanics, for reasons other than the number of English loanwords present. In 1984 and 1985 respectively, a study of five different schools were conducted in Colorado to monitor Latinos and Latinas with Hispanic descent to further monitor their performance in school and to determine as to whether the English language would serve as a barrier for these people to learn in United States schools. When identifying and responding to children with special needs, what parts do culture change and teacher's attitudes play The study highlighted some important differences between those children referred to special education programs and those not referred. We also examined how we might predict a child's placement in a special education program by looking at these characteristics. The children we studied were Latino/Chicano students enrolled in bilingual or English as a Second Language programs. In the study, 49 percent of the children had been referred to special education programs. Of those children, 55 percent were actually placed in special education programs (Collier 1987). In this case, one might conclude that difficulty in learning English as a medium of language among Puerto Ricans is a difficult task to deal with. In the aforementioned premises above, the problem boils down to one thing- determination. It is evident that the drive of the Puerto Ricans to learn the English language is not that credible as most of them are driven by their sense of patriotism in which they think that if the English language spreads their identity as a nation would deteriorate. This fact remains the root cause why the English language doesn't seem to have its place in their tongue. As most of the leaders of the said country states that the language (English) is a tool for the country to progress and in the long run to become a more independent nation. Of course, they are considered as an extension of the US government. However, language and speech barrier is still a wall to reckon with as most of these people cannot address their sentiments and views directly towards the US government solely on the basis that they were not understood by many. In this case, communication process is somewhat disrupted because how can two parties share information if they do not understand each other However Former Senator Bennett Johnston (2002)6 in one of his speeches stated that the discrimination and indirect separation of the said country as a Hispanic state could probably also be a major cause why the said country suffers such a fate with words as follows "My word of caution is, don't try to paint Puerto Rico too much as a separate Spanish speaking nation because those of us who have fought for Puerto Rico on Section 936 and other things, want to be defending part of the United States and not another nation down there...Congress will not pay for a status that has all the benefits of statehood and the attributes of independence." Of course, one cannot deny the fact that environmental influences could also be a factor why the said country suffers a low rate with regards to fluency in English. It is an established fact that Puerto Rico is regarded as "one of the oldest colonies in the world" that is why most of them are craving for independence. In this case, most of them prefer to have their identity as a nation. Being a Spanish colony at first, plus the fact that majority of them do have Spanish decent, they deem that by uplifting Spanish as their primary language and setting aside other languages such as the English language would somehow assure them of their identity as a whole. Also, Spanish influences and geographically, this island territory lie around Latin-American speaking nations. In this case, the language is somewhat influenced by the surrounding environment of the latter. Also, the present status of Puerto Rico, which sometimes is regarded as a state (of the United States) and not as a country adds to the confusion of its constituents on what language would they adopt. Upon analyzing this, one might ask of the kind of method that one might use in order to promote and enhance the speaking consciousness of the Puerto Ricans. The possible instrument would probably be the intervention method. Most of the Psychologists believe in this method to re-focus clients on the things that they should do in order for them to regain and maintain consciousness over a matter that would further enhance learning abilities of clients like that of the Puerto Ricans on the basis of mastery in English. However, what is intervention method, and how will it help Puerto Ricans in adopting and embracing English language Intervention method is defined as "intervention, along with assessment and a version of research, has traditionally received the most intensive focus. In the Standards, it "is conceptualized as activities that promote, restore, sustain, and/or enhance positive functioning and a sense of well-being in clients through preventive, developmental, and/or remedial services" ( R. L. Peterson, D. R. Peterson, Abrams, & Stricker, in press ) 7. By applying these methods, particularly on Puerto Ricans studying in the United States, students would be derived from their previous focus in which they would now be able to adopt English language as a medium of speech through activities that would further promote functioning of these students. By inserting the use of the English language in their various activities in schools, little by little these people would adopt and appreciate the use of English language as a medium. Of course, the involvement of the school and academe is vital in achieving this and primarily, the main reason why they exist. In adopting this method in order to further introduce the English language, Psychologist also deemed that "Curricula should address all of these levels and should do so with a greater consideration of the diversity of clients than has historically been true in professional psychology. "Along with the information derived from psychotherapy research, the knowledge and methods appropriate to the understanding of self and the self-other relationship, as well as to the significance of power and authority, are particularly relevant" ( R. L. Peterson, D. R. Peterson, Abrams, & Stricker, in press ). If we are to analyze how Puerto Rican students affect the performance of a certain school using the English language, it would be brutal enough that they are factors in degrading a certain school on the basis of its competencies. However, it is safe to conclude that the use of the English language is vital for these students to cope-up with their demands in school. Puerto Ricans, being considered as cross-cultural students when enrolled in the United States should be placed under special kind of teaching methods and must be studied thoroughly in the assessment as to whether they would cope-up with the teachings using the English language. Also, a rising tide of studies with statistical descriptions has inundated the multicultural literature in the past two decades. One wave of study strongly calls for the restructuring of teacher preparation programs to address the increasing cultural and ethnic diversity of public school student populations (Hodgkinson, 1996; National Center for Education Statistics, 1994 ). This means that students should be also assessed and should be labeled according to limitations as well as their capabilities. In the case of Puerto Ricans (variable), studies should focus on the way they could cope-up with the English language as a medium of speech among their fellow students. Also, the study must delve on the things on how they (Puerto Ricans) will regard English language as a medium. By doing such, the analysis and the solution on what teaching method should be embraced in order for these students to cope up with the demands of the students in their studies, particularly, the Puerto Ricans using the English language. To add to that, John U. Ogbu (1987), stated that "the cultural mismatch factor most negatively impacts the academic performance of African-American and Hispanic students who are the largest minority groups in public schools. All these studies invariably call for restructuring of teacher preparation programs so that prospective teachers have skills, attitudes, and knowledge to meet the challenges of culturally diverse school environments." This means that in order for the students to further be more productive using the English language, they should be given enough time to familiarize with the language. "Mismatch" could be addressed as Americans having English as their primary language and other students such as the Puerto Ricans studying the English language which is the medium of instruction to majority of schools in the United States. All in all, in order for the Puerto Ricans to fully adopt the English language, the notion speaking consciousness is essential. If they are conscious and fully aware of the English language, then there would be no problems in adopting and embracing it. Bakhtin (1981; 1986) has outlined how the different forms of discourse, 'reciting by heart' or 'retelling in one's own words', reflect a univocal or dialogical approach to teaching and learning. In the former, children respond using the teacher's voice as it has been transmitted to them-In the latter, children fashion their responses in unique ways which reflect their own ways of learning and knowing. In this process children continually develop their own voices as learners and knowers. In this case, Bakhtin's claim would be essential in addressing the concern of the Puerto Ricans towards English language. References 1) www.isreview.org. "Puerto Rico: The Last Colony" opened Jan 1, 2007, URL available http://www.isreview.org/issues/03/Puerto_Rico.shtml 2) Pousada, Dr A 1999, "The singularly strange story of the English Language in Puerto Rico" Milenio, 3, 33-60. 3) Torruellas, Rosa. 1990. Learning English in three private schools in Puerto Rico: Issues of class, identity and ideology. Ph.D. thesis, New York University. 4) Resnick, Melvin. 1993. ESL and language planning in Puerto Rican education. TESOL Quarterly 27:2, 259-275. 5) Betancourt, F. 1985. Puerto Rican Spanish: Linguistic insecurity. ERIC abstracts. 6) Johnston B. (2002). Let Puerto Rico Decide 7) Peterson,D. R. & Peterson,R. L.in press In R. L. Peterson, D. R. Peterson, & J. C. Abrams (Eds.), Standards for education in professional psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association and National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology. 8) Hodgkinson, H.L. (1996). Bringing tomorrow into focus: Demographics insights into the future. Washington, DC: Center for Demographic Policy. 9) Ogbu, J. (1987). Variability in minority school performance: A problem in search of explanation. Anthropology & Educational Quarterly, 18, 312-334. 10) Bakhtin, M.M. (1981). The dialogic imagination. (M. Holquist, Ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press. 11) Bakhtin, M.M.(1986). Speech genres and other late essays, ed. Caryl Emerson and Michael Holquist, trans. V.W. McGee. Austin: University of Texas Press. Read More