7/12 Class Reflection

Boy oh boy do I wish I had listened to my mother and not dropped Spanish in high school. After only being a Donovan for a few weeks I feel as though I am at an extreme disadvantage having only one language 'under my belt.' However, clearly there are many things I can do; concepts, theories, and practices I can learn; and political/social/educational topics and movements I can advocate for even while only speaking English. Mr. Larievy was very inspiring today as he forced me to ask myself, "Why is it that I and so many people I know only speak one language?" Why is this so widely accepted, and sometimes adamantly advocated for, in the U.S.? With the rapid advances in the media and technology our global community is becoming smaller and smaller and soon only speaking one language will put our nation at an extreme political, economical, and social disadvantage. In the year 2025, 1/3 of all public school students will be at least partially E.L.L. With this staggering statistic why is it not MANDATORY that all current Education majors become T.E.L.L. certified? Larievy spoke about the history of this country's language development and stressed that a combination of fear, prejudice, and economics cornered our country into being "proud" to only speak English. Even still today, leaders are making poor decisions on the behalf of schools and students everywhere to mandate English learning as rapidly and exclusively as possible. I was very happy I got a chance to meet Mr. Larievy and reflect upon these important matters.