Issues in Multicultural Education

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Children that have emigrated from other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, or Spain naturally speak Spanish because that is the language they were raised with. As these students begin attending school here in America they struggle in the classroom due to their lack of understanding. This issue was the basic foundation for the creation of English Language Learner programs in the United States. The National Education Association has been working to engage in research and programs to reduce this learning gap in the country (NEA, n.d.). The problem is, many parents in this area, the West Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, do not speak, or struggle with, English so naturally they use Spanish at home. However, when parents do not help their child practice the English Language at home and rather refer back to Spanish, this can make it hard for their child to go to school and learn in English.
This problem lies in the hands of the parents because the parents should understand the importance of encouraging their child’s learning. A child needs support from their parents, especially when they are going through such a difficult time, having to learn a new language can be incredibly hard. In 2010 between 6 and 9.9 percent of enrolled students in Arizona schools were English language learners (IES, n.d.).This statistic was much lower in previous years. If a student cannot learn English, many of them are held back and forced to repeat the same grade because they simply cannot move forward without knowing English. However, teachers and students can work together to solve this growing problem.
Schools can implement voluntary courses for parents and students, together so they can assist each other in learning the language. Night classes that assist parent...

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...erstand how difficult it can be to feel alone with the weight of the world on your shoulders. Hopefully, with the support of the educational system, teachers, principals, counselors, etc. the student(s) can encourage their parent(s) to attend classes that will benefit both them and their child.

Works Cited

IES. (n.d.). Fast Facts, English Language Learners. Retrieved on April 29, 2014 from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=96 NEA. (n.d.). English Language Learners. Retrieved on April 29, 2014 from http://www.nea.org/home/32346.htm Parent brief. (July 2006). Promoting Effective Parent Involvement in Secondary Education and
Transition. Retrieved on April 29, 2014 from http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=3135 Washington State University. (n.d.). Why Study Foreign Languages? Retrieved on April 29,
2014 from http://www.forlang.wsu.edu/top10.asp

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