Are we doing a disservice to our kids by not teaching them spanish?

Sorry.

American Sign Language is considered a foreign language, "signed English" is considered a visual form of English (much the same as writing and speaking are BOTH English). Sorry to say it, but the chances of running into a Spanish-only person is MUCH greater than a signing Deaf person. I run into Spanish-only people almost daily. I rarely see a Deaf person when I'm out and about (though more recently since Phillip's friend's sister is Deaf). I'm not AGAINST my children learning Spanish, but AM against being FORCED to learn it to get by in an ENGLISH speaking country.

 

What I don't understand is this...we all at the core agree...but the reality is that those who speak another language will have one more thing to put on a resume. Kids who know more than one language, especially a language useful in the are they live, may have an opportunity someone else will miss. That is reality and we live in reality. I agree that if you choose to live in America you need to speak english. I agree there are many flaws in our country. I also agree that our country enables many helpless people to remain helpless. So, you can protest it all..that's fine. I'll sign a petition! However, don't be surprised if due to our reality a person who speaks another language gets the job you want.

 

Completely agree!

 

I didn't read the other posts but learning Spanish is a good tool if your dd would like to have an edge over others who are not bilingual in the job market. My dh is bilinguall and I have always felt it was important that my boys knew how to speak Spanish. Both of my boys have been in situations where being bilingual was a plus. I never leaned Spanish because my dh's family had such an "in your face" attitude about it that I dug my heels in the ground and refused to learn. I know enough to understand it but feel foolish trying to speak it. I sound really white when I attempt it as they put it.

We were required to teach Spanish in order to get high school credits. Also, when I graduated from high school it was a requirement to take a foreign language class.

When I worked for the fed. govt. we were required to have a translator tranlate for the client whether it was Spanish, Japaneese or what ever and it was at the expense of the taxpayer. Are there any other countries that will do this for Americans?
LOL

 

Ouch! This is a pretty broad statement which is not true in all cases. I know many friends who came from Mexico with their parents who did not speak English. These individuals learned English, speak English well now and got their citizenship! The friends that I know aren't mowing lawns or hammering roofs and even if they were doing that, it is an honest living and I applaud anyone who wants to work.

My ds' own a lawn care business which they have hired employees to run it because my youngest doesn't have time to work on lawns, my oldest works 2 days a week on lawns due to their regular full time jobs. They hired their dad to help out also and I certainly don't think my dh feels like he is doomed when he is mowing lawns. He has his regular 40 per hour week job as a supervisor and helps our boys out on the weekend. The "doomed" job of mowing lawns has gotten my kids where they are today, they learned an excellent work ethic, got a good reputation for being hard workers and earn a lot of money in the process. They buy their own equipment, two riding lawn mowers, two push mowers and three weed trimmers. I don't think that when you do the math and mow a lawn per job which works out to $20.00 per hour before taxes, you are doomed, that is pretty good money. My dh is a wonderful man and worked two weekends and earned half the money we need to cover the deductible for my knee surgery, he did it honestly and through the sweat of his brow and I am proud of him for who he is. I am also proud of my boys for starting a successful business which others depend on them to care for their lawns. There is no shame in working hard, we taught our boys they should work hard to glorify God. As far as doing a disservice to my kids by teaching them how to work and to speak Spanish, I don't think so, they have been blessed. :love:

 

This is my take on learning Spanish - and no offense to anyone, it is just my pesonal opinion.

Yes, I want my kids to know a foreign language but I do not want them to know Spanish. WHY? Because I feel that learning Spanish is a disservice to them when they could be learning a language that would be more valuable. Bilingual Spanish is common and I do not believe that it gets you very far in the job market. The positions are mundane and cater to government, food service, day labor etc.

My son decided on Japanese and I went along because I feel that Japanese on a resume is awesome. It really sets him apart from everyone else because it is very common to see Spanish on a resume. He wishes to take Russian as well and I'm all for that and in fact I wish he'd say Chinese too. Those languages - pretty important in the world. Spanish, not so much.

Spanish is helpful in everyday life if you live by a populace of Spanish speaking people. We don't. It is also very helpful if you work in jobs that employ a large population of Spanish speaking people, or jobs who have as their customers, a large population of Spanish speaking people. I don't want my kids to be in those jobs so I am guiding them towards careers that would not require Spanish.

I also agree that every single immigrant - whether legal or not - should speak OUR language, the language of OUR country and that is English. If they do not have the desire to do that - they should go back home.

 

My dh is from here, born here and he is bilingual, are you saying that he should never be allowed to speak Spanish?

He is home, so there is no place for him to go back to!

 

WOW - what a way to read into things! No that isn't what I said. Read it again.

 

With all due respect.......Looking at someone and listening to them speak Spanish, how would you know whether they were born here or not? Your statement seems a little harsh to me. My dh is bilingual, he has employees who are also bilingual and they will speak Spanish to each other. My dh is from here, he has one employee that is from Mexico who is here legally, so it is okay for my dh to speak Spanish but not his employee?

 

I agree with this. I don't mind my kids learning Spanish but I was directing my kids into learning the same three languages you mentioned above. All three will be very important in a global sense. It depends on what your goal is really. Good thoughts!

 

I agree about the Chinese. One of my sons wanted to take advantage of the international program at Georgia Tech, and I encouraged him to spend a semester in Singapore - which he decided to do. This was his first experience of living in a Chinese culture, and he's now thinking of taking a Chinese language course in the fall. For the kinds of jobs he'll be looking at, Chinese would be useful. For other fields of endeavor, Spanish would be useful. As I mentioned earlier, we need to consider what the world will be like in 20 or 30 years' time and take account of that when choosing subjects for our children to study.

I should also add that, although I've urged all my children to learn Spanish well, not all of them chose to do so - and we're not going to force them. Our oldest son chose to learn French. We can guide and reason with our children. In the end, I'm not one to force my opinions on them.

 

I agree, Steve. We need to look at the reality of the world we live in. We cannot make a personal protest by refusing to learn a language. And in the end, I as well, allow my kids to choose what language they feel is best for them. My dd wants to learn Japanese and my son wants to learn Spanish. This is not written in stone yet though...nothing is solid until I buy the curriculum..lol.

 

So eloquently stated Ava.

When my dh worked on the ambulance he ran into a lot of people who were hurt from an accident and they were more comfortable speaking Spanish than they were speaking English. Thankfully he was able to communicate with them. My dh's mom was born here and she was more comfortable speaking Spanish than English though she was bilingual.

 

I am not going to argue with you - I stated my opinion. If you would like to read into that via your husband, that is your perrogative. But before you do, show me where I said he wasn't allowed to speak Spanish? That is rediculous and I think you are perhaps, overly sensitive to this subject.

 

I am not overly sensitive and I am not the one who has been disrespectful, I was only asking for clarification, certainly not arguing or getting upset. You have a right to believe the way you do. Oh and ridiculous is spelled with an "i" not an "e". :love:

 

Alot of people on here love to argue that if someone comes to OUR country they need to speak OUR language. What is our language in America? It's not English. The United States does not have an official language. Now, let's keep in tune with reality...you may not like that...you may disagree...you have wished the Senate voted for it...you may cite errors in the policy...but it does not change the fact that we do not have official language. Apparently you can come here and speak anything you want.

 

Not true. My husband is looking into job prospects that have nothing to do with any of these and they are asking if he speaks Spanish. Mundane? That's kind of insulting to anyone who works those jobs.

 

Thanks for the spelling correction - lol...how appropriate. :roll:

I will not clarify for you because your assumptions have been made. That is fine, but I will not participate in them.

 

This post seems so judgemental to me! Sorry. Think about how we "American's" got here in the first place. American's did a lot worse than sneaking in here and speaking "our" language. Think about the Natives of the land that were here before us. Don't feel so superior. I'm American in every sense of the word (and I love being one), so this isn't a sensitivity issue for me... I just wish this thread wasn't so harsh towards certain people! Spanish speaking criminals? Geez!

Also, I've never seen a person forcing Spanish down someone's throat.

 

Faith3...Amen on both of your posts!