Stereotypes: Bilingual Education for Hispanic Students
Stereotypes: Bilingual Education for Hispanic Students
Bilingual education has been looked down on for various reasons. Most of the beliefs behind the reasons are due to misconceptions about bilingual education students. While bilingual education can be for any student who’s primary language is not English, those of Hispanic descent are the largest majority. Possibly due to this fact, they are looked down upon and are seen in a negative light.
Opponents of bilingual education believe that Hispanics come into the country illegally and are here to bleed the school system dry. They believe that the parents of these students are not well educated and aren’t financially stable. While this in part may be true, it is unfair to think that all Hispanic bilingual students fall under this category. There are those that come into this not only legally, but possibly because their own job brought them here. There are even those of us that came to live in the US, however our parents still work in Mexico.
I grew up in the bilingual programs available in El Paso during the 1980’s. While Spanish was my first language, we came to live in the US when I was three. I was able to experience bilingual education and all it’s drawbacks since kindergarten. It was a very different experience for me to be able to learn subject matter in both languages, while Spanish to this day is still the sole language in my parents home.
My parents were very glad that I was able to learn in both languages at school. However I do remember that some friends who were in similar situations had parents that did not want them to receive bilingual education. They made these decisions based on the fact that they didn’t want their children to be confused culturally. Since they were in the US they should absorb the culture available here.
Living in a different country should not mean losing your culture. While over time it does evolve into something different, it should not be
Bilingual education has been looked down on for various reasons. Most of the beliefs behind the reasons are due to misconceptions about bilingual education students. While bilingual education can be for any student who’s primary language is not English, those of Hispanic descent are the largest majority. Possibly due to this fact, they are looked down upon and are seen in a negative light.
Opponents of bilingual education believe that Hispanics come into the country illegally and are here to bleed the school system dry. They believe that the parents of these students are not well educated and aren’t financially stable. While this in part may be true, it is unfair to think that all Hispanic bilingual students fall under this category. There are those that come into this not only legally, but possibly because their own job brought them here. There are even those of us that came to live in the US, however our parents still work in Mexico.
I grew up in the bilingual programs available in El Paso during the 1980’s. While Spanish was my first language, we came to live in the US when I was three. I was able to experience bilingual education and all it’s drawbacks since kindergarten. It was a very different experience for me to be able to learn subject matter in both languages, while Spanish to this day is still the sole language in my parents home.
My parents were very glad that I was able to learn in both languages at school. However I do remember that some friends who were in similar situations had parents that did not want them to receive bilingual education. They made these decisions based on the fact that they didn’t want their children to be confused culturally. Since they were in the US they should absorb the culture available here.
Living in a different country should not mean losing your culture. While over time it does evolve into something different, it should not be