Korean Job Discussion Forums

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

That guy is a fool.

I speak Spanish, so I live in a ghetto?

Being bilingual is nothing but an asset.

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

Woland · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul

Sigh. It's an obvious attempt to suck up to the modern version of the Know Nothings who inhabit the Republican Party. For the primaries, it may actually be a useful vote pulling strategy. As actual policy, it's a form of stupidism.

There's so much evidence that bilingualism benefits the individual both psychologically (increased cognitive flexibility, anyone?) and socially (increased job opportunities, anyone?). It would also make sense that having more bilingual individuals would have advantages for American society, especially in languages critical to national security. The linguist Stephen Krashen has commented in talks I've seen about being asked for advice from government security agencies on what they need to do to meet the demand they have for speakers of certain languages. They were thinking about training programs for English speakers, but Krashen consistently gives as a first answer, "Support bilingual education." There are plenty of Arabic speakers, for example, entering the American educational system, but there aren't many graduating.

Beyond this, it's more than a bit disingenuous to make this argument at a time when demand for English as a Second Language classes in the US outstrips supply. Immigrants see English as a need for economic and social advancement. To demand that they use English while not providing the means for them to learn it suggests a policy of another kind, and one that reflects badly on the nation.

EDIT: Fixed typo and word order problem.

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

What Gingrich suggests is indeed stupid. But stupidism takes many forms, Woland...

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

I hope he does because he'll hang himself.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

well... CA voters passed an initiative a couple years ago banning billingual education in the classroom. Result? Test scores are up.

I'm all for learning other languages and whatnot, but not teaching classes in Spanish makes sense to me. Why? Those being taught in spanish already know it. Those who don't know spanish are being taught in english.