Teaching English While Respecting Home Languages

"Teaching English to immigrant children is not disrespectful of their culture when it is done well and explicitly," writes Angele Sancho Passe in Dual-Language Learners: Strategies for Teaching English.  "On the contrary:  It gives children a skill they need to thrive in the United States — and the world.  Affluent children in Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa learn English as a second language in their schools.  Some families go to great lengths so their children can learn English....  They do so because English is currently the world's common language for business, science, and diplomacy.  If English is important for children in other countries, then it is absolutely vital for immigrant children in the United States."

But Passe adds that it is important that families maintain their home languages:

"It is hard work to maintain a home language under the pressure of a dominant language.  Families need help from educators.  For dual-language learners, home languages are the languages of emotions, relationships, family traditions, and cultural values.  Home-language support helps families preserve their culture and connections.  It also reassures families that their children can learn two languages successfully."

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