To Mandate English or Not to Mandate English

To Mandate English or Not to Mandate English

By: Jennifer Pitt

The United States continues to be the most monolingual of all the current developed countries (Melendez, 1989). For this reason the topic of English as a second language (ESL) is becoming to become more of a hot topic as the amount of immigrants to this country steadily increases. The main debate in among educators and politicians is how do we best teach these new comers? Should be we mandate English, or should we approach a bilingual system?

As an educator who has done student teaching in the heart of China Town in New York City I have seen my fair share of ESL students. The general population of the school was 50% Chinese, 25% Latino, 15% African American, and 10% White. Almost every other student did not speak English as a first Language. Students at this school greatly benefited from the ESL programs at the school. Seeing students succeed in a setting that is so supportive, with the majority of the students thriving in the environment, I believe there are strong reasons for bilingual education. I also believe we, as a country, need to rethink the goals of bilingual education. While many schools have great supportive systems for bilingual education many do not. Another example of a school producing great results is a school in the Bronx that, due to the large number of Hispanic students, literally had bilingual classes. Students, depending on their level were taught both in English and Spanish. As their English improved, the amount of Spanish said in the class decreased. Students not only got to learn English, but they gained a greater understanding of the material being taught because it was clarified to them in their primary language. This school is producing not only ESL students who have a good grasp on English, but also have a strong knowledge base.

Yet there is a problem within our society that makes the idea of bilingual education seem wrong. As Sonia Nieto (1992) states, “for some groups… bilingualism is seen as a handicap. This is usually the case with our Latino, American Indian, Asian, and other Caribbean students, those who represent the majority of the language-minority students in our classrooms”. This thought upsets me, I believe that people are not inferior because of what language they originally spoke. The colonist who settled this “great” land were all immigrants seeking to escape some kind of prosecution. Who are we to try and force any idea, especially of ‘English only’, on others?

Research in Singapore, Switzerland, and Israel has shown that bilingual children have greater cognitive flexibility than monolingual children (Melendez, 1989). I also believe that students who are given the ability to take part in a bilingual education, especially those new to the United States, will have a greater feeling of acceptance. The feeling of acceptance is a crucial part of any successful education system. This acceptance can lead to motivation and hardworking students who want to stay in school in succeed.

Nieto (1992) suggests viewing linguistic diversity in the following ways. We should perceive language diversity in a positive condition, not as a negative. We should also develop an awareness of the roles that language discrimination has played in educational history. Nieto also suggests that we understand the role of bilingual education within a multicultural perspective. Educators should also look for the benefits of linguistic diversity for all students, not just ESL students.

I believe in the benefits of bilingual education. It is my belief that as a society, if we stand by bilingual education, we can overcome many political and educational problems in the United States. We must go back to our roots. Our founding fathers felt no need to declare a national language, why must we try to now?

Melendez, S.E. (1989). A Nation of monolinguals, A Multilingual World. National Education Association Journal.

Nieto, S (1992). We Speak in Many Tongues: Language Diversity and Multicultural Education. In Carlos P. Diaz, Ed., Multicultural education for the twenty-first century. Washington, DC: NEA.