LL-L "Language education" 2008.01.10 (11) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  10 January 2008 - Volume 11
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From: heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk <heatherrendall at tiscali.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language education" 2008.01.10 (06) [E]

Ron wrote:  " Not too long ago children were physically and mentally
punished for using their languages in schools."

I once heard a brilliant lecture by Eric Hawkins,  Professor Emeritus York
University on the development of language teaching across the centuries.

He started with the medieval Latin & Greek schools which taught by immersion
i.e. the moment you stepped through the gateway, you spoke only Latin or
Greek. This was seen as the only way in bringing pupils to the level of
language that woudl be required on them in the jobs they were  aiming for -
the Church or the Court - and or course it worked . By the time they left as
young adults they were fluent in all 4 skills.

When national schools in the 19th century decided to use a standard English
across the country, they plumped for the same method - immersion i.e. once
you stepped through the gateway you spoke in standard English.

Strange how the same technique can be positive or negative depending on how
it is delivered ( Better minus the unfairness of the Welsh or Norfolk or
Somerset or Irish Not), whether it is explained fairly  ( The way you speak
is fine - around here but if you want to go to X or Y, it would be better to
speak like this) and whether the politics of the person speaking and being
spoken to is well and truly removed!

I witnessed a Welsh speaking friend up sticks and and move to Liverpool (
i.e. out of Wales) rather than tolerate ever again having her children
coming home from school and saying " Teacher says you mustn't say it like
that / use that word. Correct Welsh is .....". She was a native born
speaker, Welsh was her main language and she was made to feel illiterate/
ill taught/ badly spoken  by those very people who were trying to encourage
Welsh.

It's not what you do, it's the way that you do it!

Heather
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From: Bryan E. Schulz <bryans at glregister.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language education" 2008.01.10 (06) [E]

Gael wrote   "so that we can shape a better future for our children—one
locality at a time".

Interestingly, I have been called a nay-sayer(and much worse)  when I
sharply criticize some very popular children's shows such as *Sesame Street
*and *The Muppets* along with others on U.S. public television.  Some of the
animated characters are specifically scripted to 'speak'  vulgar English.
Most of the animated cartoons on television today also use a very limited
vocabulary, gutter slang and very poor grammar.  No one believes that all
programs will use perfect English all the time however, the programs I
am referencing intentionally denigrate foriegn accents,  mock precise
speakers and  lack any redeeming quality in the realm of early language
education.  Diversity is an elemental strategy of survival for without it,
we are doomed to remain as we are today.  No one should want that!  All is
not lost, however!   Today there is a premium  in the job market where the
prospective  employee who can write and read both effectively and
efficiently, will be hired before the more technically  skilled applicant
for a job.  Hollywood, Cannes and others have sold their linguistic soul for
a few lines of trash talk that may have put a few more coins in their
pockets at the expense of the children in the world.  Some local cultures
and families have stubbornly refused to give up their beautiful languages.
Everyone needs to  encourage these groups to continue using their languages.
  'Public' media cannot be given a free pass when they stoop to the level of
their commercial competition.

Bryan E. Schulz
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