Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h26Km7P23170; Thu, 6 Mar 2003 15:48:07 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2003 15:48:07 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <006101c2e43a$8e232820$95255544@ewndsr01.nj.comcast.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Ujwala Samant <usamant@comcast.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8758] Re: teachers' rights and "ostrichlike tendencies" X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 Status: O Content-Length: 1612 Lines: 33 >>The sentiments expressed below represent an ideal which cannot be realized until teachers and students have some basic rights. If teachers have to worry about being unjustly fired, then it is also naive to expect anyone to "talk Freire." If students can be insulted and worse for talking in their native language (which is a violation of the first amendment), then how can we establish an environment of trust so as to begin discussions about larger issues? If English Only is the "law" - then how can there be discussions of anything, especially in classes for beginning students? << You have just proved my point. We have decided for our learners what they need to know, how much and what kind of knowledge they need. We also ask our learners to Come to learning, instead of bringing it to them. We do not have a national policy on ESOL levels, curriculum, nor teacher qualifications. We have no standards for testing either. We have vastly varying opinions on what kind of English needs to be taught. We work in muddy waters Mr. Rogers, that is what I was referring to. The interpretation of what kind of English, what aspects of knowledge need to be learned are left to either administrators or teachers. I have interviewed numerous teachers who had NO background in ESOL, much less adult education (a number were k-12 trained), who were thrown into an ESOL class and told, "Teach." I am not criticising teachers, but we cannot seriously believe that even our beginning learners do not hold political opinions or are worried about the state of the nation and their own survival? regards Ujwala Samant
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