Sociology Bilingualism - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages " Immigration has had a long history in the United States. For the most part, however, it was seldom treated dispassionately even when an attempt was made only to ascertain the pertinent facts and their reliability" (Smith & Edmonston, 1998)
The option of bilingualism is not offered in the school system with the strength and emphasis that it should for children to become as knowledgeable of a different language, and understand the materials given in their native one. In some cases bilingualism as a class in a curriculum is considered as a transitional one with it's ultimate goal to push the student to choose just one language as primary and sole, for their examination, graduation and finally the end of their education. "In contrast to the Canadian context, bilingual education in the United States exists primarily as a means to aid the transition of immigrant and linguistic minority children into English" (Meyer & Fienberg, 1992.)
Bilingualism then we see that goes beyond a mere program in a classroom on a school for an hour daily, it has become a moral issue. What are the consequences of this battle Who pays the consequences of this battle You would then have to analyze and question the real long-term effects on the children. Forced by their parents whom have immigrated to this country believing that their only opportunity for survival is to speak this new country's language perfect, thus by making them as far as possible from their countries of origin where so much hardship, poverty and lack of education was experienced. Having reached an average 6th grade, these parents come to this country to work manual jobs such as; waiting in restaurants, cleaning houses, construction jobs, hard labor, etc. they unawarely allow their culture; their past, their language and their country become buried in their memories making them stories of horrors passed along to their descendants. Is the government trying to hold on to an ideal Holding to an identity pure and untouched for centuries to come, and only scratches the surface of a language to apace its activists, its minority groups, yet not too subtle so that the purist who are against immigration, do not feel neglected by the system
Bilingualism then has become a silent fight among those who believe America should remain the land of opportunities, the land dreamt and fought for by founding fathers such as Abraham Lincoln who believed in liberty, equality and welcomed the impoverished and uneducated to teach them and give them opportunities they do not have in their country. However these exact welcoming have then presented a hazard to the laws, the cohesiveness of the language and culture and the way of living, because this so called "Americanization" has been overwhelmingly time consuming and has left the country with overpopulated schools and undereducated students
What has caused this bilingualism to rise in the United States of America and what have been the consequences of this, especially on the children in our educational system
We must first trace the origin of bilingualism in schools, since the Bilingual Education Act in 1968 where it's ideal or purpose was to provide equal education and opportunities for those of minority language. The ideal being the assimilation of those who come from a different culture and education to the Americanized culture and education system. "Students must be able to understand what is presented to them in ...Download file to see next pagesRead More