Me Comprendes?
Okay, I’m not sure if that’s completely accurate, but in my 3rd year highschool Spanish mind, it asks, “do you understand me?” I’ve had to ask that several times in the first 7 days of school. We have 3 Spanish speakers in our class. One of them doesn’t speak a lick of English. And yes, “lick of English” is, in fact, English. You get the idea.
So anyway. Do you know how hard it is to communicate with a non-English-speaking 5-year-old? Not easy, my friends. With my 24 (exaggeration, might be around 63) known words in Spanish, I can sometimes piece together a sentence. For example:
“donde estas tu tool kit?”
“necesitas tu snack”
“sietete” (courtesy of a bilingual student)
“(student’s name), venga aqui”
I think this is as sophisticated as my Spanglish will get. And I think I learn approximately 1/2 Spanish word a day. So perhaps I will become the bilingual one in the classroom.
I can only imagine how scary it is for a little 5 year old who doesn’t understand any English at all, to be thrown into a class where no Spanish is spoken (unless you count my 24-word Spanglish vocab). I do feel for this child. But as the teacher (and aide) who is supposed to teach this little one, it’s very frustrating for us. And, call me selfish, I feel like the parent has done a disservice to their child. Shouldn’t a student born and raise in America know a little English?? Any? OR if the student knows no English, shouldn’t the parent find a school that benefits the student? For example an English immersion class? While we don’t have one on campus (obviously), there is one school in the district. Perhaps I’m being unreasonable. Perhaps I’m not taking special circumstances into consideration (because I don’t know of said circumstances). But as a parent of a student who has her own set of delays, it is my job to make sure she is getting the right education, services, and setting, that suits her best. It’s just my job.
However, given the situation that we’re dealing with, we will survive. And my hope is that this student will thrive. And by the end of the year, I’m hoping this little kindergartner will have a whole big vocabulary of English words.
What would you do?
Wow! I wonder how the parents are feeling. I’m going to be a nervous wreck when Sam goes tomorrow and I know he can communicate. Poor kid! Talk about English immersion!
Glad you’re there to make things a little easier, with your 24 words!
I actually speak Spanish fluently and I love that last year we had a kindergarten student whose family was Spanish. He was also autistic, and spoke mostly English. Personally I think it’s probably hard for the family to find a school within their district where their child can speak his native language. And if the parents don’t speak English I’m not sure how they would be able to teach it to their son, just like if you don’t speak Spanish I can’t imagine you would be able to teach it to your child. Just my two cents.
Don’t worry kids absorb languages so quickly at this age, he will pick up on it with his peers speaking it all the time.
Lula, I am not sure how they’re feeling. I haven’t met them yet. Tomorrow at curriculum night the teacher should be able to get more of an idea.
Azaera, in Arizona, I know all our kids will get Spanish, and I love that! I think they start it early, too, maybe 1st or 2nd grade? I think that’s wonderful. I’m thinking, though, we should have at least one option per district for ESL kids. I’m not positive. That would be my guess, though, living in AZ! From an educator’s standpoint, it can be a frustrating situation. I’m sure there are other people frustrated in the situation too!