BLOG #10 Concerns, Frustrations and Hopes

Including constructive response questions in my survey provided me with valuable insights into how children and parents view bilingualism. Parents put a lot of thought into their answers and I really appreciated this! I was also excited to see parents involve their children in the survey by asking what their concerns and frustrations their children may have.  

PARENTS

What concerns or frustrations, if any, do you have about your child learning a second language?

I hope... 

•  my child will be able to continue studying a second language in high school and college
•  my spouse will learn the language so that we can both speak to our children
•  my child doesn't forget her mother tongue
•  my child will be able to read literature that I read when I was younger 
•  my child can become fluent
•  my child remain fluent throughout her whole life

Questions

• Will my child be able to differentiate between the languages if we teach him multiple languages at the same time?
• What are some additional resources that we can use in learning, teaching, and maintaining a second language?
• Why does my child mix languages when speaking?
• Why does my child start telling a story in her mother tongue and then continues with English only?

Obstacles in Maintaining Children's Bilingualism

• parents need more resources to help them teach their children a second language. Exposing children to a language that the husband or wife knows, but the spouse, doesn't, makes it difficult to practice. 
• in middle school, language teachers are not proficient in the language that they teach the students
• my child is lazy!
• parents find it difficult to practice the language that their child is learning in school because they are not familiar with it
• lack of time to practice 
• drive time to bilingual activities is far
• creating an environment that is conducive to speaking a second language
• both parents don't share the same knowledge of languages other than English
• Rosetta Stone is too expensive
• my child answers me in English
• scheduling issues with bilingual activities
• languages are not offered at school
• too much academic pressure
• my child chooses to speak English with his friends and siblings
• there is pressure from other children to speak English instead of their mother tongue
• my child has a hard time switching between two languages
• It is easier for me to communicate in English with my children
• the grammar and range of vocabulary is weaker with the language that is practice less 
• 
  

Child's Resistance

• lack of child's enthusiasm in learning/practicing second language
• child has too much homework to be able to conquer second language homework
• lack of will
• lack of positive attitude

Keeping the Language Alive

• Growing up, almost everyone I knew was bilingual and the children seemed to absorb the language organically. Today, I see children of new immigration than I, struggling. I would guess that the factor in the intense exposure to media where almost everything is in English. Children seem to drift away from their non-English language at a much earlier age than people of my generation did. 
• daily practice
• joining bilingual activities
• speaking with parents, grandparents, siblings and friends
• traveling
• my child enjoys singing and talking in another language! 
• we watch tv shows in our mother tongue
• our child uses apps on iphone and ipad 
• arranging play dates with friends who share the same language
• we shop at ethnic stores and buy ethnic food and products

Staying Connected to Family and Culture

• speaking with grandparents
• understanding people when we travel to our home country
• experiencing traditions in native language

Supplementing what schools don't offer

• Not many schools offer German, and if they do, it is only an introductory level. 
• Disappointment with switching to a new school that doesn't offer an in-depth language program. 

Partial and Total Immersion Programs

• Parents voiced their concern about if adequate content coverage of Language Arts and Math would be covered in an immersion program. 
• Most are expensive private schools

CHILDREN

What concerns or frustrations, if any, does your child have about learning a second language?

It's hard...

• I have too much schoolwork
• additional homework is no fun!
• bilingual activities keep me to busy
• when my friends don't speak the same languages as I do
• to pronounce some words
• to read and write
• to speak but I understand a lot
• it's just hard
• to switch between languages
• I don't like the language we are learning in school
• to roll "r"
• I don't understand all of the words
• I can't speak Polish with my dad

I Like...

• to speak different languages with my friends
• my sister and I can keep secrets and make plans without anyone understand us
• speaking French
• to listen to people speak different languages
• to have a lot of Polish friends

Before I even wrote up the survey, I anticipated people would respond to certain questions with hesitation. Before the "No Child Left Behind" Act, bilingual children were taken out of the classroom for various amounts of time spent in supplemental English lessons, missing class time, activities, and time spent with their classmates. One parent opened up to me and shared her experience with me. Her daughter was born in the United States but her primary language was Polish up until Kindergarten. Upon signing her daughter up for school, she had to fill out some paperwork. One question asked if English was the child's second language. She indicated "yes". The school enrolled her child in an ESL class with students who spoke no English. The teacher said that her daughter's English was not "at level". This experience has made her become cautious of answering questions fully and honestly. When she started filling out my survey, she paused at one of the first questions, "Do you, father, mother, children, and grandparents speak a language other than English"? She was debating whether or not she should just reply "no". I listened to her reasoning and reassured her that the survey needs accurate information in order for the results to be meaningful. I also told her that the survey is anonymous and will remain in a private group of readers. 

I was also weary of how people will respond to the open-ended questions dealing with concerns and frustrations of their child learning a second language. I know that some people and teachers still believe that learning a second language will negatively affect child development and language development. People also believe that their children might be stereotyped or treated differently. Some people also try not to speak their second language at home for numerous reasons. Some of these reasons include trying to assimilate into the American culture and to learn the English language better by speaking with their children (who often speak English more fluently than their parents). People that I conducted my survey with confided in me by telling me that they name their children American names that can be easily pronounced. Some people change their last names by shortening them or taking out unnecessary letters. Some children that I spoke with expressed their pride in being able to speak multiple languages. Some children shyly told me that they don't like speaking their mother tongue because their friends think it's weird and can't understand them, and in some cases, their accents. I wonder how this can be prevented? I wonder how some of these myths can be clarified. I think that this is possible through gaining factual knowledge and advocating the positive advantages of learning a second language. I think that exposing children, in school and at home, to different languages and cultures will make them more accepting, appreciative, and comfortable with things that are unfamiliar to them (such as a language that they cannot understand). I hope that young children learning a second language can feel confidence and pride in learning and maintaining a second language!!