“Our generational, historical, social, political, and cultural theme, rooted in our history and lighting the way toward a better tomorrow, is language. But on the matter of language-what to teach and how to teach it- we are today paralyzed in a position I know all of you find unacceptable, frustrating, and wasteful,” said TAMIU President Dr. Ray Keck, in his speech, “El Tema de Nuestro Tiempo: The Time Is Now for Dual Language.”
Delivered late summer at the annual Bilingual, Biliterate, Bicultural Conference hosted by the College of Education, Keck’s speech addressed more than 550 local and area educators on a controversial issue: dual language education.
Citing extensive research, alarming statistics, and Laredo’s “unique history,” Keck’s speech encouraged dual language education in the border city.
“Children in a properly executed dual language program outperform their monolingual peers,” said Keck.
Responding to Keck’s speech, TAMIU students and alumni hold various opinions on the pros and cons of dual language education.
“I do agree with President Keck’s proposal on a dual-language education program and implementation in Laredo. In order to be marketable in our society and in the world it is valuable to understand, comprehend, read, and write in various languages. English and Spanish are some of the most spoken languages in the world. Through the implementation of this program, Laredo will assist its children,” said Cynthia A. Gallardo, a senior double majoring in psychology and biology.
Aldo Retamozo, a TAMIU alumnus, agrees.
“Learning more than one language is always a good thing. Children have an incredible capacity to absorb languages at an early age and the benefits in writing, reading comprehension and speaking skills for dual language speakers are undeniable,” he said.
Despite substantial evidence supporting these claims, however, Keck feels that dual language education in Laredo has not achieved its full potential.
“Dual language curricula provide the undisputed model for improvement, but today, August 15, 2009, it remains an unfulfilled promise to the future,” he said.
Mike Herrera, a TAMIU alumnus currently teaching in the Laredo public education system, provides insight on this.
“There’s a rich body of educational research indicating that dual language programs work remarkably well. The U.S. is pretty far behind the rest of the world when it comes to encouraging a multilingual population,” said Herrera, who is completing his master’s degree in English.
“Having said that, I once sat through a presentation by proponents of UISD’s dual language initiative. Some of the program’s teachers admitted to knowing less Spanish than their students. ‘It’s so cute when they correct me,’ one of them said. ‘Those are teaching moments.’ Bottom line, it works when done well, and that presentation didn’t convince me that UISD was doing it well. They really need to hire teachers from out of Laredo to make it fly.”
Senior English major Brenda De Leon attended schools in both Laredo districts. She sees negative attitudes towards these programs as a chief obstacle.
“Unfortunately, if you ask any parent now, they’ll say that the last thing they want is for their child to be on the bilingual track. For a long time now, it has been seen as a remedial curriculum and it would be very difficult to convince people of its many merits,” she said.
De Leon sees benefits from dual language programs, however.
“If kids can start school off in a dual-language program, it would certainly be advantageous in life. To have mastery of more than one language is something one should strive for and be proud of,” she said.
Keck notes that flaws in education, in part due to dual language concerns, are by no means exclusive to Laredo.
“In 2003, 27.2% of all Texas children scored college ready; in 2007, that number stood at 27%. The point is clear; this is not merely a Laredo problem. Neither we in Laredo nor we in Texas are where we wish to be,” he said.
On the other hand, Gallardo found dual education in Laredo a positive experience.
“Growing up I was enrolled in dual-language programs and it greatly assisted me in appreciating and grasping both languages. In addition, when I took additional English and Spanish classes in middle school and high school, I had already gotten accustomed to reading and writing in both languages. The understanding that I gained in both languages assisted me when I went to Johns Hopkins for an internship this summer. I was asked to translate documents in both English and Spanish for a study in Torreon, Mexico. I was elated that I was able to use my knowledge that I gained from my schooling here in Laredo and use it for research at a major institution,” she said.
Cristina Ramirez, an alumna, holds a different view.
“I think what people fail to recognize is the negative effects of dual-language programs here in Laredo. These programs are great for kids that live in cities where they aren’t constantly exposed to Spanish. We already have that here in Laredo. So why not focus on English? Kids in Laredo need to be immersed in the English language to succeed. That’s my opinion as unpopular as it may be,” said Ramirez.
Retamozo counters this argument based on the general lack of proficiency in both languages.
“Unfortunately, the exposure to Spanish in Laredo is sub-par, as many people speak neither English nor Spanish well. Dual language programs, especially in a city like Laredo, would give our kids and graduating students a unique advantage in the job markets of the rest of the country,” he said.
Keck also discussed the city and county’s possible establishment of National Public Radio, which he believes will benefit Laredoans through exposure to standard English.
“In that most universal of all media, radio, Laredo today has no station which connects us, as NPR would, to our national dialogue. Nor is it possible in Laredo to teach English by the method known elsewhere as ‘immersion.’ Here, the water will always swirl with currents both English and Spanish. We have seen this as a problem; it is in fact the most potent weapon for stellar performance, awaiting proper deployment,” said Keck.
Matthew Hall, alumnus and former student government Senator-at-Large, sees potential beyond current educational curriculums.
“Some form of universal dual-language education, starting at the primary level, is vital, I think, if Texans are going to compete in the age of globalization. It’s possible, with an effective, flexible program, that in a generation or two, every student could become bilingual. Think of the competitive edge it would give our students over those of other states. What’s needed is the political and social will to create the necessary reforms,” said Hall.
“Still, even this is too narrow of a goal. I hope that a strong dual-language system would help foster an environment for further language education, so our kids can also effectively learn other important languages if they wish, such as Mandarin. It’s definitely possible to teach a child several, particularly if you start instruction early in their education. Our state’s ability to help its students become multilingual will be key to its success, in the future.”
To read Keck’s speech in its entirety, visit http://www.tamiu.edu/president/ElTemadeNuestroTiempo.shtml.