Aria
By: Richard Rodriguez
Rodriguez argues that learning a new language can be an emotional step for some children. Its not always easy to be thrown into an English speaking school when you don't understand English very well. He also argues that it can be very emotional and challenging when the one place you feel most comfortable, which is at home, completely changes the language that is usually spoken.
"Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease." Even though English is the only language Ive really ever spoken, I seem to understand his point. I really felt bad for him. It must be such a bad feeling to walk into a classroom and feel afraid or scared. You must feel completely out of place and lost. I feel like this quote really says a lot. If the teachers just said good morning to him in Spanish it would have made him just a little more comfortable. But this poor little boy gets called on all the time and is to afraid to say anything because he knows the class wont be able to understand him. And he says in the article that the point of answering in class is so the students can understand what you are trying to say. When he says, "I would have trusted them" I think that's really true because it would make him just a little more comfortable and it would make it a little more personal for him. I think part of the reason why he is shy is because he feels different than all the other students. If the teachers would just treat him like all the other students maybe Richard would have had a little easier time speaking in front of the class.
"At last, seven years old, I came to believe what had been technically true since my birth; I was an American citizen" I picked this quote because I feel like it is once of the more meaningful quotes in the story. I feel like this was a life-changing day for Richard. This was when he decided he was an American so he needed to learn how to speak the American language. I feel like this is what made him work as hard as he did. He realized that learning English was something that he needed to do and he needed to put his mind to it because it wasn't going to get any easier.
"We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed." This is a very powerful quote for me. I feel like he is saying this like he wished it never happened. I don't think it was easy for the children to stop speaking Spanish at home because that's what made their home feel like "home." I feel like that's where the children could be themselves and let their guard down. Speaking Spanish is what made them so comfortable together because it was something they all had in common. I think that changing their language to English changed a many things for them. It made them feel the same way they did in school, lost, confused, and uncomfortable. I think that if I was their parents, I would have tried to somehow speak both languages at home.
Honestly, I really enjoyed this article. I really found this story interesting even though I can't really relate to it very much. I didn't realize how hard it would be to completely change languages until I read this. It seemed like this was a very difficult process for the family to go through. I'm not sure I would be as strong as this family was if I had to go through that. I really learned a lot from this story. I like reading this because it was written on a very personal level.
By: Richard Rodriguez
Rodriguez argues that learning a new language can be an emotional step for some children. Its not always easy to be thrown into an English speaking school when you don't understand English very well. He also argues that it can be very emotional and challenging when the one place you feel most comfortable, which is at home, completely changes the language that is usually spoken.
"Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease." Even though English is the only language Ive really ever spoken, I seem to understand his point. I really felt bad for him. It must be such a bad feeling to walk into a classroom and feel afraid or scared. You must feel completely out of place and lost. I feel like this quote really says a lot. If the teachers just said good morning to him in Spanish it would have made him just a little more comfortable. But this poor little boy gets called on all the time and is to afraid to say anything because he knows the class wont be able to understand him. And he says in the article that the point of answering in class is so the students can understand what you are trying to say. When he says, "I would have trusted them" I think that's really true because it would make him just a little more comfortable and it would make it a little more personal for him. I think part of the reason why he is shy is because he feels different than all the other students. If the teachers would just treat him like all the other students maybe Richard would have had a little easier time speaking in front of the class.
"At last, seven years old, I came to believe what had been technically true since my birth; I was an American citizen" I picked this quote because I feel like it is once of the more meaningful quotes in the story. I feel like this was a life-changing day for Richard. This was when he decided he was an American so he needed to learn how to speak the American language. I feel like this is what made him work as hard as he did. He realized that learning English was something that he needed to do and he needed to put his mind to it because it wasn't going to get any easier.
"We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed." This is a very powerful quote for me. I feel like he is saying this like he wished it never happened. I don't think it was easy for the children to stop speaking Spanish at home because that's what made their home feel like "home." I feel like that's where the children could be themselves and let their guard down. Speaking Spanish is what made them so comfortable together because it was something they all had in common. I think that changing their language to English changed a many things for them. It made them feel the same way they did in school, lost, confused, and uncomfortable. I think that if I was their parents, I would have tried to somehow speak both languages at home.
Honestly, I really enjoyed this article. I really found this story interesting even though I can't really relate to it very much. I didn't realize how hard it would be to completely change languages until I read this. It seemed like this was a very difficult process for the family to go through. I'm not sure I would be as strong as this family was if I had to go through that. I really learned a lot from this story. I like reading this because it was written on a very personal level.
2 comments:
Hi Amanda,I posted a link on my blog to a video clip on Obama's website. It think he gives a good overview of his education plan in this clip. It is kind of long but I think you will only get the full effect if you watch the whole thing. See you on Monday!
Chris
I can see that this piece really tpuched you... look back to the argument you name. I think that while he tells us about how hard it is to be pulled away from Spanish, he actually argues that is was worthwhile. What do you think?
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