Discussion Questions


  1. What are the subfields of Linguistics?
  2. What do ESL or EFL Programs can teach you?
  3. What're other names for L1 and L2?
  4. Mention the ESL Teaching Methods
  5. What is Bilingualism?
  6. Mention some characteristics of Bilingual people
  7. What are the three programs in Bilingual Education?
  8. What are the main problems in Honduras regarding ESL?
  9. What's a Dialect?
  10. Which is the dialect in the USA?

Advantages of Being Bilingual



In this video, we get explained that the bilingual brain functions differently than a monolingual brain and that there are many benefits to learn a new language not just for knowledge but also for health.

Summary

ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE

Teaching English as a Second Language is a high-demand subject of instruction that continues to experience growth in schools across the country. As children from foreign countries continue to immigrate to the United States and enroll in schools here, the number of students whose native language is not English continues to grow.
Many schools have English Language Learners (ELL) programs, also known as English as a Second Language (ESL). English Language Programs (ESL, EFL) can teach you to read, write, understand, and speak English more fluently by enhancing your grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills. However, there are also many other reasons for studying at an English Language School.



ESL TEACHING METHODS

š CLT (Communicative Language Teaching)
š TPR (Total Physical Response)
š Grammar Translation
š Structural Approach
š Suggestopedia
š Direct Method
š Silent Way
š Immersion





BILINGUALISM

A simple definition of bilingualism is an ability to communicate easily in two languages. Anyone can become bilingual, but it's much easier to become bilingual when you are a child. Most often you'll find that a person with an accent became bilingual later in life. Bilingualism is a norm, not an exception. As surprising as it might seem, most people in the world are bilingual.
š Bilingual people are most often part of two cultures or a culture where more than one language is used.
š Bilingual people may not speak both languages equally well. Bilingual people use each language in different areas of their lives. Some may speak one language at home and the other for everyday business.
š Bilingual individuals may not be able to translate quickly. This doesn't mean they don't know the language well. Words don't automatically translate equally into another language, so it takes some thinking to figure out a good translation.
š Bilinguals sometimes mix languages when speaking to each other. The major reason is that some words don't translate well.


A simple definition of bilingualism is an ability to communicate easily in two languages. Anyone can become bilingual, but it's much easier to become bilingual when you are a child. Most often you'll find that a person with an accent became bilingual later in life. Bilingualism is a norm, not an exception. As surprising as it might seem, most people in the world are bilingual.
š Bilingual people are most often part of two cultures or a culture where more than one language is used.
š Bilingual people may not speak both languages equally well. Bilingual people use each language in different areas of their lives. Some may speak one language at home and the other for everyday business.
š Bilingual individuals may not be able to translate quickly. This doesn't mean they don't know the language well. Words don't automatically translate equally into another language, so it takes some thinking to figure out a good translation.
š Bilinguals sometimes mix languages when speaking to each other. The major reason is that some words don't translate well.

BILINGUAL EDUCATION

Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. Bilingual education refers to the utilization of two languages as means of instruction for students and considered part of or the entire school curriculum.
š Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs: students receive instruction in both English and their native language, and the native language support is gradually phased out over two or three years. 
š Bilingual Maintenance (BM) programs: students remain in bilingual classes for their entire educational experience.
š Dual Language Immersion: Enrolls English-speaking children and students who are native in another language in roughly equal numbers.






BIDIALECTALISM IN USA

In the United States they have one minority dialect which is African American English (AAE). Children who speak a dialect of English that differs from the language of instruction—usually close to Standard English—may also be disadvantaged in a school setting. Literacy instruction is generally based on SAE. It has been argued that the phonological and grammatical differences between African American English (AAE) and SAE make it harder for AAE-speaking children to learn to read and write.
A more positive approach to teaching literacy to speakers of nonstandard dialects is to encourage bidialectalism. This approach teaches children to take pride in their language, encouraging them to use it in informal circumstances, with family and friends, while also teaching them a second dialect—SAE—that is necessary for reading, writing, and classroom discussion

Powerpoint Slides

Minority Dialect



A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a territory. Such people are termed linguistic minorities or language minorities. With a total number of 193 sovereign states recognized internationally (as of 2008) and an estimated number of roughly 5,000 to 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, it follows that the vast majority of languages are minority languages in every country in which they are spoken. Some minority languages are simultaneously also official languages, including the Irish language in Ireland. Likewise, some national languages are often considered minority languages, insofar as they are the national language of a stateless nation.

A dialect is a variety of a language that is spoken by a group in a particular area or of a social group or class. It can have a different accent and pronunciation, vocabulary and use different grammatical structures.

In the United States they have one minority dialect which is African American English (AAE). Children who speak a dialect of English that differs from the language of instruction—usually close to Standard English—may also be disadvantaged in a school setting. Literacy instruction is generally based on SAE. It has been argued that the phonological and grammatical differences between African American English (AAE) and SAE make it harder for AAE-speaking children to learn to read and write.

A more positive approach to teaching literacy to speakers of nonstandard dialects is to encourage bidialectalism. This approach teaches children to take pride in their language, encouraging them to use it in informal circumstances, with family and friends, while also teaching them a second dialect—SAE—that is necessary for reading, writing, and classroom discussion

Bilingual Education







Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. Bilingual education refers to the utilization of two languages as means of instruction for students and considered part of or the entire school curriculum.

There are several kinds of bilingual programs in American schools for immigrant children
  • Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs: students receive instruction in both English and their native language, and the native language support is gradually phased out over two or three years. 
  • Bilingual Maintenance (BM) programs: students remain in bilingual classes for their entire educational experience.
  • Dual Language Immersion: Enrolls English-speaking children and students who are native in another language in roughly equal numbers.
Bilingual Education in Honduras

In Honduras, at least ten thousand young bilingual professionals graduate each year coming from 851 schools ready to enter the labor market dominating English as their second language. (National Education Ministry)

There are two main problems in Honduras when we discuss about ESL:
  1. Native English teachers. Because students listen to, learn from, and practice their English with native English speakers, they can self-correct errors and develop accurate pronunciation. One of the largest challenges facing Latin American countries who want to expand English language education is a lack of proficient English speakers to educate the next generation. Unfortunately, the opportunity to learn from native English teachers is the exception, not the rule, in Honduras.
  1. Access to books. In Honduras, books are expensive and difficult to find, especially books in English. Public lending libraries are essentially non-existent. 

What is being Bilingual?






Bilingualism (or more generally: Multilingualism) is the phenomenon of speaking and understanding two or more languages. The term can refer to individuals (individual bilingualism) as well as to an entire society (social bilingualism). 

The term can also refer to the corresponding scientific research which studies the phenomenon itself.  Bilingualism, multilingualism, and polyglotism can all be used as synonyms for the same phenomenon.
A simple definition of bilingualism is an ability to communicate easily in two languages. Anyone can become bilingual, but it's much easier to become bilingual when you are a child. Most often you'll find that a person with an accent became bilingual later in life. Bilingualism is a norm, not an exception. As surprising as it might seem, most people in the world are bilingual.
Bilingualism Characteristics
There are some general characteristics that many bilinguals share, though not each individual will have every characteristic. Exploring these qualities can help dispel certain misconceptions about bilingual people. Each bilingual person will have their own unique set of characteristics, but these characteristics generally apply:
  • Bilingual people are most often part of two cultures or a culture where more than one language is used.
  • Bilingual people may not speak both languages equally well. Bilingual people use each language in different areas of their lives. Some may speak one language at home and the other for everyday business.
  • Bilingual individuals may not be able to translate quickly. This doesn't mean they don't know the language well. Words don't automatically translate equally into another language, so it takes some thinking to figure out a good translation.
  • Bilinguals sometimes mix languages when speaking to each other. The major reason is that some words don't translate well.
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