In his work "Aria," Richard Rodriguez shares his personal experience of growing up in a bilingual household where Spanish was spoken at home, and English was used in his public and school life. Rodriguez takes us through his thought process to explain how people often overlook the advantages of being taught the language of the majority. However, he also reflects on how he lost some of the sense of belonging he shared with his family when they struggled with English together. He mentions that it was beneficial for his teachers to encourage him to learn English as it was necessary for his success in the public sphere, but he also felt a sense of loss when he started primarily speaking English even at home. It is unclear whether Rodriguez was attempting to make a particular point in his work or just sharing his experiences in a conversational manner. However, he does suggest that a dual-language program would have been a preferable option to his English Only experience.
Teaching Bilinguals Even if You're Not One" videos, the presenters discuss the positive experiences of being in a dual-language program or, at the very least, not an English-only program. They explain how educators can encourage the use of two or more languages in a school environment to make education more accessible and effective. One of my favorite strategies they shared was having students create drawings that illustrate the languages they think, speak, and hear on a daily basis. I will certainly be incorporating this approach into my classroom!
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