Language is an essential an integral part of any culture. The way we speak influences and is influenced by the way we live. When people enter into a new culture, language is an important bridge to their new experience.
Many recent immigrants from Spanish speaking cultures find neighborhoods where Spanish is already spoken, because it makes for a smoother transition to the United States. Learning a new language is difficult.
Should immigrants learn English as soon as they move to the United States? Should English be the official language of this country?
Here is something to consider when thinking about these questions. This article examines the history of a town in Wisconsin which continues to honor its heritage.
When people move to another country, do they stop being who they are? Do they want to get rid of all that they once knew and adopt a completely new way of thinking, speaking, and eating? Think about if you were to move to Peru. Would you like to try eating guinea pig? This is a delicacy in some areas of Peru.
What parts of your heritage are important to you? In what ways do your family's traditions and ancestors influence who you are today?
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Why Are "They" Stealing Our Jobs?
Immigration is a controversial issue.
Here's some perspective: Why don't they just immigrate the legal way?
In a nutshell, before 1884, there was no immigration policy in this country. Anyone could pretty much just come in. That's when my great great great grandparents waltzed in off the boat. "Cool. We're in America now." Of course it wasn't all that easy. But, they didn't have to get green cards. They got here, and they were pretty much IN.
After 1884, the US decided we didn't want people from China here unless they could work, despite the fact that many Chinese Americans had just helped to build the transcontinental railroad about 20 years before.
After that, still pretty much anyone else could get in until 1924 for free! Some more restrictions were added then, and in 1965 the borders closed in a bigger way.
Many immigrants today who come from Mexico and Latin America are seeking a way out of poverty, just like the immigrants who came from Ireland, Germany and other European countries a century before. Some people phrase this searching for an escape from poverty as stealing our jobs.
Here's what Stephen Colbert had to say on working as a migrant farmer.
Working as a migrant worker is very difficult, and the pay isn't so great, but many recent immigrants, legal and illegal are willing to do the work so that their children will have a chance at a good life.
Here's some perspective: Why don't they just immigrate the legal way?
In a nutshell, before 1884, there was no immigration policy in this country. Anyone could pretty much just come in. That's when my great great great grandparents waltzed in off the boat. "Cool. We're in America now." Of course it wasn't all that easy. But, they didn't have to get green cards. They got here, and they were pretty much IN.
After 1884, the US decided we didn't want people from China here unless they could work, despite the fact that many Chinese Americans had just helped to build the transcontinental railroad about 20 years before.
After that, still pretty much anyone else could get in until 1924 for free! Some more restrictions were added then, and in 1965 the borders closed in a bigger way.
Many immigrants today who come from Mexico and Latin America are seeking a way out of poverty, just like the immigrants who came from Ireland, Germany and other European countries a century before. Some people phrase this searching for an escape from poverty as stealing our jobs.
Here's what Stephen Colbert had to say on working as a migrant farmer.
Working as a migrant worker is very difficult, and the pay isn't so great, but many recent immigrants, legal and illegal are willing to do the work so that their children will have a chance at a good life.
Single Story Overview
Single Stories.
What is a "single story"? A single story is when you only know one thing about a person or a group of people, and you base everything you know about that person or group of people on that one thing. Say, for instance, you're a skateboarder. Are you only defined be skate culture? Does that mean that you can't be into dancing, or singing, or construction, or carpentry, or engineering? Maybe, but each of us identifies with more than one thing. We are more complicated than each of us appear to be. Single Stories limit what we can know about each other, and can limit our own experiences if we get stuck on them.
I borrowed this idea from a woman named Chimamanda Adichie from Nigeria. Here is her Ted Talk, in which she explains what a Single Story is and why it is dangerous.
On this blog, I will be posting some "HOT LAVA" topics, based on some questions I would receive from students when I was working as a high school English teacher.
Please post your helpful comments, reflections, and suggestions for further inquiry and understanding. I sincerely hope that together we can work to learn more about each other than just a single story.
What is a "single story"? A single story is when you only know one thing about a person or a group of people, and you base everything you know about that person or group of people on that one thing. Say, for instance, you're a skateboarder. Are you only defined be skate culture? Does that mean that you can't be into dancing, or singing, or construction, or carpentry, or engineering? Maybe, but each of us identifies with more than one thing. We are more complicated than each of us appear to be. Single Stories limit what we can know about each other, and can limit our own experiences if we get stuck on them.
I borrowed this idea from a woman named Chimamanda Adichie from Nigeria. Here is her Ted Talk, in which she explains what a Single Story is and why it is dangerous.
On this blog, I will be posting some "HOT LAVA" topics, based on some questions I would receive from students when I was working as a high school English teacher.
Please post your helpful comments, reflections, and suggestions for further inquiry and understanding. I sincerely hope that together we can work to learn more about each other than just a single story.
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