Talking Points #2 Rodriguez "Aria"

I personally cannot relate to this article because English my primary and sole language that I am fluent in. I can speak a little Italian and a little Russian but I cannot speak it fluently and do not claim to. So the idea of going to school and feeling uncomfortable because I can speak another language is foreign to me. Rodriguez says that “Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease.  But I would have delayed-for how long postponed?-having to learn the language of public society.” This statement stands out to me because it makes a very important point about our society. Even though English is not the official language of the United States (there is no official language for the United States) it is the most commonly used language in the country and in a sense is the language of the land. If you want to be able to function in our society you must be able to communicate effectively with the other members of society. Therefore why should teachers and administration speak to you in any other language than English, it would be going against their job description. A teacher’s job is to educate you and give you the tools needed to function effectively in our society. That requires you to be able to speak English fluently so that you are able to communicate with your peers quickly and efficiently. He also says that “Today I hear bilingual educators say that children lose a degree of individuality by becoming assimilated into public society”, In my opinion this statement is worded incorrectly. The teachers should be saying that children are losing a “skill” by becoming completely assimilated into public society. Being able to speak another language as a “secondary language” is a very useful skill to have once you enter to mainstream working world. It can open doors to jobs you could not otherwise obtain if you did not speak another language.

English and the Global Citizen Video