How Can We Convince Immigrants to Learn English?
Even though they are able to live here without it
Everyone in the world knows that English is the language spoken
in the U.S. and most immigrants are prepared to learn it. But
when they arrive, many of them (especially Spanish speaking)
find signs and other information in their own language and
quickly realize that they don't have to learn more than a few
words of English.
It is completely understandable why they are reluctant to learn
it. Learning a new language is hard, if people don't have to do
it, they probably won't. But these people also won't ever be
fully integrated into our society. In the past, the first thing
new immigrants did was learn English. They had to know English
to work and drive and shop. When everyone in the country speaks
the same language, even with an accent, the country is much more
united than ours is now.
Now they can live in their own little communities, watch TV,
listen to the radio, read a newspaper, shop, work and even drive
without speaking ANY English. They can get government forms in
their own language and almost all offices and departments have
interpreters available for them.
Many new residents know almost nothing about this country they
live in. Without understanding the language, they don't have
much opportunity to learn about the culture. They don't learn
the laws or their rights or responsibilities and very often end
up in trouble because of it. They live here the same way they
did in their home country and when they are within their little
enclaves they are sometimes perpetuating the same problems that
they were trying to get away from.
English is what unites us in this country. Diverse people and
cultures with one language made this nation. People who know our
language are more successful, earn more income, move into better
neighborhoods with better schools and make better lives for
their families. Their children, in turn, are more successful and
the whole country benefits.
We should stop talking so much about multiculturalism and talk
again about this country being a "melting pot" where people from
all countries move here, learn the language and become
Americans. The melting pot doesn't have to mean Anglo
conformity, it can mean a mixture of all the different cultures.
The melting pot has always been changing and that mixture would
now have more of a Latino texture than before. It was mostly
British and Northern European at one time, then Irish was added,
then Italian, then Jewish, then Asian, but always a mixture that
was American. What else could anyone call that mixture? It was
American.
How can we convince the new immigrants to learn English? Maybe
more classes and tutors would help. Maybe they would be
convinced if they were shown how much better they would do if
they knew English. Maybe it would help if they knew there are
many more jobs available everyday for bilingual workers.
Will the fact that so many immigrants didn't understand the
warnings to evacuate when Hurrican Katrina was nearing the coast
help them to understand that they should know at least some
English? They should not expect that the warnings would be in
their language.
How can we convince immigrants to learn English? Regardless of
the things we do, it won't do much good if they are not
convinced it is important. They have to be shown how much safer
and successful they will be if they know the language that most
of the country speaks. And if they are successful, we will
benefit too.