Should schools be required to teach basic Chinese language?

[Luce]

Our kids have a hard enough time with English.

Damn kids. Geroff my lawn.

 

[mrjurrs]

It's already happening:

Popularity of Chinese language learning soaring within U.S. education system: survey

Popularity of Chinese language learning soaring within U.S. education system: survey - Xinhua | English.news.cn

WASHINGTON , June 1 ( Xinhua ) - - Chinese language courses are now available in primary and secondary schools in Washington D .S . education system , the report is thought to have offered a closer look at language education in the country ' s primary and secondary schools .

www.xinhuanet.com

It absolutely should be offered. The question was 'required'.

 

[roguenuke]

I would argue that they should all teach some foreign language from K-12. Maybe make it regional. NW gets Chinese, SW gets Spanish, NE/SE gets French.

My son was being taught Chinese (have no idea what dialect) in Kindergarten in San Diego. I think it was actually a Navy sponsored program.

 

[Josie]

Damn kids. Geroff my lawn.

?

 

[Luce]

?

Well, kids these days, you know? Too stupid to learn English and whatnot. Why in MY day, grumble grumble 10 miles uphill both ways grumble grumble IN A BLIZZARD.

 

[Josie]

Well, kids these days, you know? Too stupid to learn English and whatnot. Why in MY day, grumble grumble 10 miles uphill both ways grumble grumble IN A BLIZZARD.

That isn’t what I was saying....

 

[Rexedgar]

Our kids have a hard enough time with English.

Where does the fault lie for that?

 

[Overitall]

Where does the fault lie for that?

I’m interested in Josie’s response but I would think it would be in multiple places.

 

[TrumpVirus 2020]

I'd just started studying Russian, but then Trump got his ass kicked in the election.

Always did have bad timing.

 

[trouble13]

Schools should remain closed and not teach anything until all the unions demands are 100% met

 

[Rexedgar]

I’m interested in Josie’s response but I would think it would be in multiple places.

What are your thoughts?

What “multiple places?”

 

[Overitall]

What are your thoughts?

What “multiple places?”

I’ll get back to you on that. I just don’t want to step on Josie’s toes. We may agree.

 

[southwest88]

Si'

Sí.

(There ya go, fixed it for ya.)

 

[Josie]

Where does the fault lie for that?

Everyone has a different opinion on that, of course.

To me, as a teacher, there are many reasons why children are struggling. But the number one reason starts at home. We have incoming kindergartners who don't have basic vocabulary skills. They don't know colors, shapes or the names of everyday, common objects. They don't understand how to use words to communicate with adults or their peers because their experience with speaking to adults and peers has been very limited. Some have never even seen a book, let alone hold one or turn pages in one.

So what's the problem at home? Well, that's a multi-faceted explanation as well. Sometimes it's a single parent home where the mom or dad literally has no time to help their child. Sometimes it's because the home is filled with abuse, neglect and uncaring adults. Sometimes it's because of mental illness or learning disabilities. Sometimes it's because the parents are available, but they just don't care enough to help them. Sometimes it's because the parents are illiterate themselves. Or a combination of any of them.

And, this year...... holy crap. Less than 20% of our fourth graders meet or exceed grade level requirements. Our first graders are like preschoolers and kindergartners. We don't have time to teach an entirely different language when the kids we have haven't even come close to mastering their native language.

 

[Overitall]

Everyone has a different opinion on that, of course.

To me, as a teacher, there are many reasons why children are struggling. But the number one reason starts at home. We have incoming kindergartners who don't have basic vocabulary skills. They don't know colors, shapes or the names of everyday, common objects. They don't understand how to use words to communicate with adults or their peers because their experience with speaking to adults and peers has been very limited. Some have never even seen a book, let alone hold one or turn pages in one.

So what's the problem at home? Well, that's a multi-faceted explanation as well. Sometimes it's a single parent home where the mom or dad literally has no time to help their child. Sometimes it's because the home is filled with abuse, neglect and uncaring adults. Sometimes it's because of mental illness or learning disabilities. Sometimes it's because the parents are available, but they just don't care enough to help them. Sometimes it's because the parents are illiterate themselves. Or a combination of any of them.

And, this year...... holy crap. Less than 20% of our fourth graders meet or exceed grade level requirements. Our first graders are like preschoolers and kindergartners. We don't have time to teach an entirely different language when the kids we have haven't even come close to mastering their native language.

I agree with you Josie on this. I would add, however, the social influence. Entertainment being one. Children are listening to music that butchers the English language. Movies are doing the same thing.

 

[Rexedgar]

Everyone has a different opinion on that, of course.

To me, as a teacher, there are many reasons why children are struggling. But the number one reason starts at home. We have incoming kindergartners who don't have basic vocabulary skills. They don't know colors, shapes or the names of everyday, common objects. They don't understand how to use words to communicate with adults or their peers because their experience with speaking to adults and peers has been very limited. Some have never even seen a book, let alone hold one or turn pages in one.

So what's the problem at home? Well, that's a multi-faceted explanation as well. Sometimes it's a single parent home where the mom or dad literally has no time to help their child. Sometimes it's because the home is filled with abuse, neglect and uncaring adults. Sometimes it's because of mental illness or learning disabilities. Sometimes it's because the parents are available, but they just don't care enough to help them. Sometimes it's because the parents are illiterate themselves. Or a combination of any of them.

And, this year...... holy crap. Less than 20% of our fourth graders meet or exceed grade level requirements. Our first graders are like preschoolers and kindergartners. We don't have time to teach an entirely different language when the kids we have haven't even come close to mastering their native language.

I agree with your assessment. I still remember arguing with a 1st grade teacher on the pronunciation of “what.”

I posited that it should be pronounced as whaaat, instead of wut, based upon what we had learned up to that point.

My mother was very much responsible for me arriving at school ready to go and not to be a child care alternative.....

 

[Josie]

I agree with your assessment. I still remember arguing with a 1st grade teacher on the pronunciation of “what.”

I posited that it should be pronounced as whaaat, instead of wut, based upon what we had learned up to that point.

My mother was very much responsible for me arriving at school ready to go and not to be a child care alternative.....

I teach my first graders to think of "what" as /w/ /hat/. I even made up a little rap for them to remember how to read the word and spell the word.

 

[TheParser]

No, foreign languages should NOT be mandatory.

Schools should concentrate on teaching students to speak and write proper American English.

For example, it would be really nice if more Americans of all ages knew the difference between it's and its.

Zai jian! (Mandarin for "goodbye.")

 

[southwest88]

Spanish is hardly foreign to much of the Americas, including the US. There are various places here - the Southwest, FL, parts of large urban areas & older industrialized areas, where Spanish is still a live language. & any language can be studied for reasons of personal background, pleasure, other interest.

 

[phoenix2020]

I vote no; it should not be required. However smart parents will take steps to ensure a multilingual education for their children. I was raised on three and my wife on four. It has served us well. Parents who complain about politicians etc. while letting their child become a C-student in high school English with no other language skills to their name, will have only themselves to blame when their child can’t compete in a globally competitive multilingual world.

There is an abysmal lack of interest for education in this country, and it starts with the parents. My wife and I are both very grateful that our respective parents (both first generation Asian immigrants) absolutely instilled a profound respect for education in us; it was clear at all times when growing up that school was our first responsibility. And for me growing up, schooled in 5 different states by the time I was 18, it was not lost on me how than 1% of my fellow students were receiving the same guidance fro their parents.

Without a profound change in cultural values, it does not matter what education is or is not mandatory, if most students will give minimum effort for the comparatively short time they are actually in a school versus their global peers.

I would advocate for something more profound like year-long public school. These four month summer vacations are ridiculous.

 

[Court Jester]

I've gotten by knowing a very limited amount of Chinese my whole life, so don't see a need for taking any additional classes.

Pretty much all I've ever needed to understand about the Chinese language I learned watching Bonanza on TV

 

[Luther]

No. But they should require spanish since it is our second language. Bilingual people are smarter.

Bilingual people are smarter

.

Not in terms of Common sense(wink)

 

[Luther]

Our kids have a hard enough time with English.

Yes, that's why we need to take a good look at our FAILED EDUCATION system

 

[Luther]

We should be teaching kids Spanish.

Why?

 

[Port & Starboard]

China owns massive amounts of the USA. Their industrial capacity massively exceeds the USA. Over 95% of products in WalMart stores are Chinese products. Nearly the same for Amazon and all other retailers. Most drugs and much of our food comes from China. China is expanding if foreign influence, while the USA's influence declines. Shifting to electric cars created a dependency on China for rare earths. American politicians turn to China for money. The richest Americans are business partners with the richest Chinese. Chinese is #1 or #2 in the world, and the largest population. The number of Chinese in the USA continues to grow.

Because the Chinese alphabet does not easily translate since there is on such thing as a Chinese alphabet, it is a particularly difficult language to learn and translate. I doubt 1 in 1000 could convert something written in Chinese to English even with a translation dictionary in their hand. There is no Chinese Alphabet – just thousands upon thousands of characters. Some of the characters look remarkably similar also.

Should basic Chinese be taught in schools as a foreign language requirement?

Spanish first.