[hiyamynameissoph]

(Original post by im so academic)
See article here

Is this what we want for Britain?

Attachment 154892

In a time where increasingly the English language is becoming devalued and children are being brought up not being able to speak correct English with correct grammar - is this something we want for British primary schools?

The school uses translators and all teachers are trained in EAL. This is ridiculous. In England as well. Either most of these children are immigrants themselves and cannot speak English, or they were born in Britain and still can't speak English. If they could speak English - there would be no need for translators/EAL teaching.

What are your opinions?

your view is disgusting. have you ever imagined how terrifying it must be for these children have to grow up and judged by idiots like you, made even worse by the fact that english isn't their native language. so people who are at a slight disadvantage to the other children don't deserve the chance at an education? grow up.

[tazarooni89]

(Original post by ThumbsUp)
Its not until you reach a point where the teacher is overwhelmed by the numerous languages that are spoken in one class and they have to hire translators so possibly 1/2 translators per class plus the teachers that still a 3:30 ratio. its not only the British born and English speaking pupils who suffer its everyone in the class. and all the taxpayers money that goes towards these translators means that there is less in the education pot for uni students, students with disabilities etc. its a crucially a cycle of decline.

Well yes - if people go into a school not knowing much English, you're going to need people who can teach them English. Just as, if they went into school not being good at Maths, you'd need to hire people to teach them Maths. If they went into school with dyslexia, you'd need to hire people for that.

That's the whole point of school, isn't it?

[L'Evil Fish]

I don't see the problem... I can speak English and Bengali and I'm learning French and Welsh... I think it is safe for me to assume my English is a tad better than yours *at least* I know people who spoke no English a year ago and are now getting A*s and speak very good English...

[affinity89]

Hardly a scandal. All teachers receive EAL training as part of the basic training process and there are support systems in place to help in schools with a lot of need. As part of my course, I visited a primary school where over 50 languages were spoken by the pupils. It does require some changes in provision, but it can ultimately be a very positive and rewarding thing. The provision made for EAL children often help children who have English as a first language and it leads to a much broader cultural experience in the classroom.

[Mendeleev's Table]

ISA you've lost your touch. You went from the best troll on TSR, slating anybody that dared to disrespect Oxbridge, then to a desperately insecure little girl and now this.

Try harder.

[mogambo]

Ok, I don't see what the issue is here? The only issue I'd have was if something wasn't done about it which clearly isn't the case.

Yes, the majority of the kids can't speak English...but is it their fault? No. It's their parents. Obviously parents are going to use a language in which they can converse comfortably with! So the parents need to be educated first before they can even start using the english language in their homes. There's no point of them even speaking broken english in their homes either; the kids will only pick up bad habbits. Let the school do it's job and from the sounds of it, they are!

Secondly, yes they need translators but a) how else will things work during the beginning? and b) we don't know how long translators are used for? I'm assuming it's pretty temporary and used only during the early years. Soon enough they'll be speaking english pretty fluenty (well one should hope!) and the need for them should hopefully decrease. The issue here is then it's the taxpayers money that goes on it and many will hate that but I personally don't mind. If I had a choice of my money going to a childs education, road works or a boob job on the NHS, I'd pick the first. If it's such an issue for the school and their budget, then the parents should be asked to contribute something towards the costs of it.

I also don't think the English language is being devalued here. Infact, quite the opposite. The kids are getting all the help that they can possibly get so that they are able to speak properly.

[im so academic]

(Original post by laurenbowes)
Damn foreigners being unable to speak english correctly.

I doubt all of them were immigrants, many of them would be British-born. So why can't they speak properly without the aid of translators and EAL?

[im so academic]

(Original post by hiyamynameissoph)
your view is disgusting. have you ever imagined how terrifying it must be for these children have to grow up and judged by idiots like you, made even worse by the fact that english isn't their native language. so people who are at a slight disadvantage to the other children don't deserve the chance at an education? grow up.

Wait a second, if you're British-born (not all of them are immigrants), surely you must be able to speak English?

[Kennedy7697]

A laughable concept

[philistine]

That's almost as many as Sir James Murray.

[laurenbowes]

(Original post by im so academic)
I doubt all of them were immigrants, many of them would be British-born. So why can't they speak properly without the aid of translators and EAL?

Yes they may be British-born but their parents could be immigrants who have never had the opportunity to learn English. Being born in England doesn't make you immediately able to speak English dear.

You're criticising them for being unable to speak English and then criticising a system that wants to change this? Evidently you are just incredibly xenophobic, and fortunately the school system isn't designed for pleasing racists, it's designed for educating young people in whichever way they need to.

If you're suggesting that they or their parents should have learnt English before emigrating, you're forgetting that many of these children will have lived in a third world country, or come to England seeking asylum, or perhaps they simply couldn't afford to learn English.

[infairverona]

To be honest if I was a teacher and my students could speak other languages but not English I'd be pretty pissed off, how can they be expected to teach if at home they speak in their first language so their English isn't fluent enough? If they're going to live here they need to accept that English is the first language spoken by people who live here and they should focus on that. That's down to the parents though and of course they're not going to bother. Getting more and more ridiculous.

[laurenbowes]

(Original post by infairverona)
To be honest if I was a teacher and my students could speak other languages but not English I'd be pretty pissed off, how can they be expected to teach if at home they speak in their first language so their English isn't fluent enough? .

This is why you will never be a teacher.

[Dirac Delta Function]

Funny, in this country we get criticised for not learning other languages.

Britain's ethno-linguistic diversity has potential for real economic benefit to the country when it comes to international trade.

[Plums&Peaches]

So OP what you're saying is: **** Diversity!

[I Persia I]

I thought Primary School kids learn English quickly enough anyway?

[infairverona]

(Original post by laurenbowes)
This is why you will never be a teacher.

Well no, the reason I'll never be a teacher is because I'm studying law. Gold star for effort though. When I was a child my mum made me do lots of reading and loads of language stuff at home, like giving me 10 new words a week to learn to improve my english. Teachers need the support of the parents to enable the children to progress. No matter how hard the teachers try, if a child is speaking english 5 days a week in school but then going home to other languages spoken fluently instead it's obviously going to be difficult for the child to progress.

Also forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't teaching english as a foreign language a different qualification/not included in the training for teachers as a standard? if it is then ignore this but I thought it was an extra. so lots of teachers might not even know how to teach english as a foreign language to children who already speak a different language as their first language, that isn't necessarily their job.

[Plums&Peaches]

(Original post by I Persia I)
I thought Primary School kids learn English quickly enough anyway?

No how dare there be children who speak other languages in schools according to the OP.

[im so academic]

(Original post by laurenbowes)
Yes they may be British-born but their parents could be immigrants who have never had the opportunity to learn English. Being born in England doesn't make you immediately able to speak English dear.

You're criticising them for being unable to speak English and then criticising a system that wants to change this? Evidently you are just incredibly xenophobic, and fortunately the school system isn't designed for pleasing racists, it's designed for educating young people in whichever way they need to.

If you're suggesting that they or their parents should have learnt English before emigrating, you're forgetting that many of these children will have lived in a third world country, or come to England seeking asylum, or perhaps they simply couldn't afford to learn English.

Calling me a racist now? Because I'm concerned that other people's education will be held back?

How can you learn if there are many people in your class who can't understand English? How is it fair on those individuals?

[im so academic]

(Original post by Plums&Peaches)
So OP what you're saying is: **** Diversity!

No, it's just that if the whole class can't communicate in English, the rate of learning will sharply fall.