NationStates Jolt Archive

Apparently, there are thousands and likely millions of Spanish-speaking immigrants are being wait-listed on ESL programs and the government is doing little to help. I am quite amazed that they actually want to learn English. I'm glad someone finally says that they do...if I ever become a billionaire, I will gladly fund english-learning programs...although it may be too late by then.

Source (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_re_us/immigration_learning_english)

Well comments?

Unable to speak or read English, the two immigrants and beauty salon co-workers from the Dominican Republic

So, as they're working, what's stopping them paying for a class or at least a "Beginners' Guide" audiobook?

I am quite amazed that they actually want to learn English.

well, welcome to reality

So, as they're working, what's stopping them paying for a class or at least a "Beginners' Guide" audiobook?
I guess they figure that if they can get it for free, why should they pay. Even if it does mean missing doctor's appointments, etc. Though you're right, they should just get off their arses and find another way of learning English - they have friends who can speak English, so why not just pick up some simple phrases off them?

I am quite amazed that they actually want to learn English.
It's amazing isn't it? They're in a country where the dominant language is English, and they want to learn to speak it. If I were forced to live in France, I'd want to learn French. It's not amazing in the slightest.

So, as they're working, what's stopping them paying for a class or at least a "Beginners' Guide" audiobook?
That just proves they ARE lazy after all...but are there audio books and do they know where to get them? There is also the nationalism and they do watch the Spanish networks, which probably don't promote learning English as much as they should: they'd lose ratings. Once again corporations are in control.

So, as they're working, what's stopping them paying for a class

lack of funds, lack of classes, lack of teachers, lack of knowledge, lack of time.

do you know where to find an esl class?

do you know where to find an esl class?
No, but why should I?

I guess they figure that if they can get it for free, why should they pay. Even if it does mean missing doctor's appointments, etc. Though you're right, they should just get off their arses and find another way of learning English - they have friends who can speak English, so why not just pick up some simple phrases off them?They're probably stuck in a community/family work place that pays very little. To find work elsewhere they would need to get a fairly high understanding of English. To learn English they need to have a very patient friend who is willing to teach them (books won't cut it, they're too static and not specialised enough. You think beginners language courses have sections on 'health and safety at the workplace'?) or they could attend private, unsubisdized lessons... any idea how much they cost? In the UK a that could set you back by about £200 a week for 15-20 hour lessons a week. You think they could afford that?

Giving subsidized lessons helps everyone: the government, employers, their kids and not least of all themselves. If they know English then government bureucracy is less of a problem. Employers will get a larger base of employees who may be more skilled. Kids will not suffer from poor communication between the school and their parents. And the actual recipient will be able to participate fully within that country.

Hey, I'm an immigrant (but I already spoke English.)

I had to learn Portuguese, and there simply are no courses beyond the very basic that teach Portuguese here. What is available is either teaching you to say "Eu me chamo AB Again" and "Aonde fica o bar?" or a degree course for the native speakers.
So I set about learning from books, TV, and by making a fool of myself when I needed to communicate. But it worked. So any immigrant that wants to learn can do so, without having to have specially provided free language courses.

The only people who dont think they want to assimilate are people who are fuelled by the propaganda/hate machine.

lack of funds, lack of classes, lack of teachers, lack of knowledge, lack of time.

oh, and shit like this (http://www.ccc.edu/co/mainadult.shtml):

"If you are not a native speaker of English:
Free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes are available. "


written in fucking english!

I had to learn Portuguese, and there simply are no courses beyond the very basic that teach Portuguese here. ...
So I set about learning from books, TV, and by making a fool of myself when I needed to communicate. But it worked. So any immigrant that wants to learn can do so, without having to have specially provided free language courses.
Same here. Swedish instruction was available, but it was all too basic and slow, it taught things someone would notice in everyday speak. Then again, I'm just on the rock.

When someone is submerged in a culture there is no exucse to not learn the language.

Same here. Swedish instruction was available, but it was all too basic and slow, it taught things someone would notice in everyday speak. Then again, I'm just on the rock.

When someone is submerged in a culture there is no exucse to not learn the language.Yeah, total emersion in a culture will have you learning the language pretty damn quick, but it's amazing how knowing just one person who speaks your native language retards the speed at which you speak the lanaguage. I speak from experience here.

written in fucking english!
Welcome to the real world.
Yeah, total emersion in a culture will have you learning the language pretty damn quick, but it's amazing how knowing just one person who speaks your native language retards the speed at which you speak the lanaguage. I speak from experience here.
That'd be this forum ( and the intrawebs ) for me. >.<
Otherwise, I rufuse to do much of anything in English.

lack of funds, lack of classes, lack of teachers, lack of knowledge, lack of time.

do you know where to find an esl class?
I don't know about where you are from but around here you find them at the library, most of the time on the same day as the free GED classes.

oh, and shit like this (http://www.ccc.edu/co/mainadult.shtml):

"If you are not a native speaker of English:
Free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes are available. "


written in fucking english!
Reminds me of the (possibly apocryphal) story of the Russian literacy promotion. They put up signs saying things like:

"Are you illiterate? If so, phone this number now!"

I don't know about where you are from but around here you find them at the library, most of the time on the same day as the free GED classes.Think about how you found that infomation out though. Unless you heard about it thorugh the grape vine then you wouldn't have heard about it if you were one of the two mentioned in the article.

They're probably stuck in a community/family work place that pays very little. To find work elsewhere they would need to get a fairly high understanding of English. To learn English they need to have a very patient friend who is willing to teach them (books won't cut it, they're too static and not specialised enough. You think beginners language courses have sections on 'health and safety at the workplace'?) or they could attend private, unsubisdized lessons... any idea how much they cost? In the UK a that could set you back by about £200 a week for 15-20 hour lessons a week. You think they could afford that?
That's a possibility. I wasn't saying that they should get their friends to teach them good English, I said a few basic phrases. My girlfriend's taking a course in Spanish at the moment, and as a result, I can say basic things like 'My name is...', 'What's the time?', 'Would you like to fuck?' (I'm not kidding). Actually, in the UK at adult education colleges, many of which do courses in English as a foreign language, it'd set you back about £50 a week for 15-20 hours. And that's assuming you don't qualify for help with fees. I imagine the American system is different though. £50 a week? Assuming they're getting minimum wage, and working 35 hours/week, they'll be earning about £180/week (pre-tax).

Giving subsidized lessons helps everyone: the government, employers, their kids and not least of all themselves. If they know English then government bureucracy is less of a problem. Employers will get a larger base of employees who may be more skilled. Kids will not suffer from poor communication between the school and their parents. And the actual recipient will be able to participate fully within that country.
I'm not arguing against subsidised lessons. I'm arguing that, if they were really desperate to learn, they could quite easily learn English another way.