"Where am I?"

Chapter 4 of Olsen's Made in America presents many depressing and grim views on the actual situations of ELL students in the school. The chapter, entitled "Learning the Language of America," also begins on a grim note with the inclusion of a quote from a student who enters the ESL classroom to deliver a note to the teacher and is surprised at all the different languages the students are conversing in. "Where am I?" he says. "Doesn't anyone know how to speak English? Is this some kind of foreign country?" (Olsen 91). 

This quote, in my opinion, allows for so much food for thought and reflecting on the themes of not only this chapter but on the book so far. Olsen talks at length and presents stories regarding the thought necessity of English as well as the hardships associated with it, the uncomfortable situations in both attempting to retain their native language and the gradual loss of it, the economic and political situation within the school and state regarding English language instruction and bilingual instruction, and so much more. The harsh realities revealed by Olsen were very hard for me to grasp sometimes as well as hard to think of a viable solution. The students feel that they need an American friend in order to speak English, but they also feel the need to speak English in order to have an American friend. Then, they feel disconnected and their families are upset when they lose their native language and culture, even if their English is not academic-perfect, they try so hard to learn English that their home languages are being exonerated, and it is almost like they have no language at all. They simply are confused by their identities and are clueless as to where they fut in and how changes happen. Samway addresses a myth that connects with these ideas: "Many ELLs don't speak either English or the native language well. They just don't gave much language" (Samway). Although this idea is easy to think as true, it takes a true linguist and educator to know why this is simply not true and what is going on in the children's minds when most people assume that they have no language at all. These children are able to construct something called an interlanguage, which is defined as the emerging language system in the mind of the L2 learner. Because it is taking place in the specific student's mind and is commonly a blend of their L1 and L2, it is not very comprehensible to an outsider. Instead of lacking any sort of language, the learner employs their L2 to assist them in learning the new language.

The Native Language myths presented marry well with the content of Olsen's chapter. The first myth listed is that "Teachers in English-medium classrooms should not allow students to use their native language as this will retard their English language development" (Samway). First of all, the verb 'retard'? Really? Wow. Poor PC choice there. I do not always believe it is a bad thing to allow students to use their native language at times in the classroom. In my practicum classroom, Mrs. Collins often gives instructions and clarifications to the students in Spanish because they are at such a basic level, but not to the point where it is taking away from their English language learning goal. The third myth states that "When English language learners speak in their native language in English-medium classes, they are likely to be off-task" (Samway). Although this may be a common belief for both teachers and the non-teacher civilian, there are many benefits to ESL students speaking in their native language at times, including conversing about the required tasks in class and for comprehension at a basic level, such as is the situation in my practicum experience.

It is still so hard for me to comprehend all these double entendres and complex situations that Laurie Olsen presents, and it is hard and scary to think of what we can do not only not but as future teachers when we will most likely be dealing with many of these same situations. One often wants to throw in the towel because it is so complicated with so many factors playing against each other.