Pax all!
 
I always try to incorporate in my classes things that my students are
seeing and hearing about outside of class: elections, economics,
environmental issues. Just like speaking socially, I caution my students
that it can very difficult to "discuss" these issues and not offend
someone. I teach the phrases like "I feel that..." to show that it is an
opinion. Depending on the students' language levels and degrees of
previous assimilation, the discussion can be teacher led, but I try to
encourage my students to lead. Just Monday we talked about the basics of
the current Wall Street Crisis. Holy cow! Any suggestions?
 
Ciao!
 
Martin E. Senger
Adult ESL / Civics Teacher,
G.E.C.A.C. / The R. Banjamin Wiley Learning Center
ESL Co-Director,
PAACE
Erie, Pa
-----Original Message-----
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
carolkubota at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 1:44 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2910] Re: citizenship
 
Andres,
 
I agree with you.  I have been an alien in two different countries.  I
think that this discussion could go on and on.  Let's talk about how we
can prepare those who don't speak English to be able to live and work
here in the US.  What are the first lessons that you teach students who
have come to your class for the first time and do not speak English? I
have always tried to teach my students how to find a doctor, how to
locate medication in a pharmacy that does not require going to a doctor.
Navigating the health system in the US is not an easy task. Many of
these students do need to go to the doctor or take their children to the
doctor. What are some other topics that you use with your adult ESL
students?
 
 
Carol
 
--
Director/Language and Culture Specialist 
Battle Creek Language and Culture Center 
7 Heritage Oak Lane #4 
Battle Creek, Mi 49015 
269-979-8432 
http://www.bclanguageculture.com 
carolkubota at comcast.net
 
	-------------- Original message -------------- 
	From: "Muro, Andres" <amuro5 at epcc.edu> 
	Alien most certainly applies to me, and I am a citizen. It also
applies to the creatures that fought against Sigourney Weaver. I don't
think that people that come to this country and are not citizens like to
be called aliens, even if that is what their id card states. Aside for
me, not to many like to think of themselves as the Ridley Scott
characters. 
	 
	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Martin Senger
	Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 8:35 AM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2901] Re: citizenship
	 
	Pax all!
	 
	I would think that the term "immigrant" means someone who wants
to become a citizen. Others (visa, other) are technically "aliens"
	 
	Martin E. Senger
	Adult ESL / Civics Teacher,
	G.E.C.A.C. / The R. Banjamin Wiley Learning Center
	ESL Co-Director,
	PAACE
	Erie, Pa
	-----Original Message-----
	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Suh, Thomas (DOE)
	Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:39 AM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2898] Re: citizenship
	 
	I think we need to be careful about who is deemed an immigrant,
let alone a "run of the mill" immigrant.  If someone decides not to
become a U.S. citizen, does that mean that he or she is not an
immigrant?
	 
	
________________________________

	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
carolkubota at comcast.net
	Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:02 AM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2895] Re: citizenship
	Yes, you are right.  They are not becoming American citizens.
That does not mean that we don't study about American History and
Culture.  One of the most important things for all students to learn is
Health Care and how to live in the US now. 
	 
	I have been married to a Japanese citizen for 28 years.  He is
still not an American Citizen.  
	 
	I also know people from many Latin American countries that are
not US citizens.  They work and live here on visas.
	 
	Carol
	--
	Director/Language and Culture Specialist 
	Battle Creek Language and Culture Center 
	7 Heritage Oak Lane #4 
	Battle Creek, Mi 49015 
	269-979-8432 
	http://www.bclanguageculture.com 
	carolkubota at comcast.net
	 
		-------------- Original message -------------- 
		From: "Steve Kaufmann" <steve at thelinguist.com> 
		I do not imagine that these wives of Japanese company
representatives are immigrants. They are probably not planning to become
American citizens.
		On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 10:13 AM,
<carolkubota at comcast.net> wrote:
		Ted,
		 
		I am still not sure what you mean.  Most of my students
are Japanese wives who have been transplanted here by Japanese companies
who have moved their families. They do not work and are very interested
in learning English. 
		 
		Are they "run of the mill"?
		 
		Carol
		 
		--
		Director/Language and Culture Specialist 
		Battle Creek Language and Culture Center 
		7 Heritage Oak Lane #4 
		Battle Creek, Mi 49015 
		269-979-8432 
		http://www.bclanguageculture.com
<http://www.bclanguageculture.com/>  
		carolkubota at comcast.net
		 
			-------------- Original message -------------- 
			From: "Ted Klein" <taklein at austin.rr.com> 
			Carol,
			 
			To me "run of the mill" means "average." I hope
that you didn't get the impression that I was being negative. The people
who take the time, trouble and sometimes loss-of-wages to study English
are usually not "average." They want more out of their life here.
			 
			Ted
				----- Original Message ----- 
				From: carolkubota at comcast.net 
				To: The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion List <mailto:englishlanguage at nifl.gov>  
				Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 7:32
AM
				Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2868] Re:
citizenship
				 
				What do you mean by "run of the mill
immigrant". 
				 
				Carol
				 
				--
				Director/Language and Culture Specialist

				Battle Creek Language and Culture Center

				7 Heritage Oak Lane #4 
				Battle Creek, Mi 49015 
				269-979-8432 
				http://www.bclanguageculture.com
<http://www.bclanguageculture.com/>  
				carolkubota at comcast.net
				 
				-------------- Original message
-------------- 
				From: "Ted Klein"
<taklein at austin.rr.com> 
				Let's also not forget that the
individuals who want the best economic opportunities need English the
most. The $ is a great motivator. I've noticed that most of my immigrant
students are innately ambitious, compared to the run-of-the-mill
immigrant. The first week I always ask my students why they want to
learn English. The ones who want better jobs, promotions or more
education are the winners by the end of the term.
				 
				Ted
				www.tedklein-ESL.com
<http://www.tedklein-esl.com/> 
				----- Original Message ----- 
				From: Steve Kaufmann
<mailto:steve at thelinguist.com>  
				To: The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion List <mailto:englishlanguage at nifl.gov>  
				Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 11:34
AM
				Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2834] Re:
citizenship
				 
				Eduardo,
				
				It has been my experience that people
learn languages best from content that is of interest to them. Therefore
they should have the freedom to choose what content to study. For some
it may be reading about their home countries in English, for others it
may be listening to and reading about the experiences of the people from
their home country who have succeeded in the US, and some may want to
read about things that are completely new to them. All of these options
and more should be offered in sound and text format.
				
				When I learn a language, I see myself as
one of 'them', and I want to join their discussion. Right now I
regularly download content from a Russian radio station, where there is
plenty of interesting discussions about history, food, travel, politics
and business and more. I would love to join the discussion as one of
them, not as a Canadian. My own culture is irrelevant when I study
another languag e and culture.
				
				Steve< BR> 
				On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 8:59 AM, Eduardo
Honold <ehonol at sisd.net> wrote:
				Steve:
				 
				I completely agree.  The issue is
language.   Yet, your assertion that "promoting diversity or celebrating
their differences, does not speed up language learning. It is, in fact,
unnecessary since that is the natural tendency with first generation
immigrants," is not supported by any evidence.  Over the past 8 years,
we have been working with actual immigrants in a demonstration EL Civics
project in Socorro, Texas.  We have found that talking about the
immigrant experience, students' own cultures and experiences in their
own countries makes perfect language sense.  We all know how difficult
it is for newly-arrived immigrants to use whatever language they have
learned in their classes.  But we all know they are initially more
likely to use English in reference to topics, feelings, and ideas that
are already familiar and important to them.  The language principle
involve d her e is scaffolding.  Stude nts mo ve from familiar to
unfamiliar material.  So we have them bring an artifact of their own
culture or a family photograph to show to the rest of the class and
explain its significance.  We have them write their autobiographies and
compile them as book for all the class to read and discuss.  Students
are eager to tell us their stories, to tell us why they left their
country, to discuss their emotions about the immigrant experience.  At
the same time we are helping their new immigrants to explore their new
communities (e.g. creating community maps, visiting libraries and
museums) and to learn about cultural norms and expectations of  their
new society through problem-solving scenarios, skits and plays.  As with
Ted's survey, we have them think about similarities and differences in
the experiences they have encountered here and in their native
countries.  So, for instance, they can compare holiday celebrations i n
th e U nited States and Mexico o r how bosses in both countries are
likely to react to an employee being late to work.  The fact that they
have their own experience to rely upon makes their answers much richer
and communicative.  And of course that is another basic tenet of adult
learning:  leveraging your students' vast background knowledge and
experience. The success of this approach to language learning is
supported by excellent student performance in standardized tests (these
students are twice as likely to advance an NRS level than the national
average) and above-average student retention.  You can take a look at
some of this work in www. bordercivics.org <http://bordercivics.org/> 
				 
				I think we can agree that participating
in the "mainstream culture" and being aware of your own culture is not
an either/or proposition, but I have to disagree with this swipe you
took at me:  "Encouraging newcomers to connect with the mainstream
culture, which is my no means limited to Donald Duck or whatever
caricature was used by Eduardo, is helpful to language learning."  My
point in my earlier post was clearly that the American experience cannot
be reduced to any particular set of cultural referents and that the
"mainstream," as you like to call it, may not be very easily defined.
So let's play fair. By the way, I love Donald Duck.  
				 
				I was also intrigued by your final
comment ("But it is hard to learn a people's language if you do not want
to join their group. I speak from experience.")  You mean to say that
you have "joined" the culture "groups" of the 12 languages you have
learned?  If so, you truly are the embodiment of multiculturalism.
				 
				Eduardo
				 
				 
				Eduardo Honold
				Far West Project GREAT Coordinator
				(915) 937-1703  
				fax: (915) 937-1795
				SISD Community Services
				313 S. Rio Vista Rd.
				El Paso, TX 79927
				www.farwestgreat.org
<http://www.farwestgreat.org/> 
				
________________________________

				From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Kaufmann
				Sent: Friday, September 19, 2008 4:31 PM

				
				To: The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion List
				Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2819] Re:
citizenship 
				 
				 
				The issue here is language. Encouraging
newcomers to connect with the mainstream culture, which is my no means
limited to Donald Duck or whatever caricature was used by Eduardo, is
helpful to language learning. Promoting diversity or celebrating their
differences, does not speed up language learning.It is, in fact,
unnecessary since that is the natural tendency with first generation
immigrants.
				
				People will do what people will do. It
is not for the state to promote either the melting pot or multicultural
model. It is, however, incorrect to say, as Michael does, that the
melting pot tries to make every one a WASP. I am not a WASP, my wife is
part Chinese and part Hispanic, we speak lots of languages and enjoy
lots of cultures, but we consider ourselves part of the mainstream, and
effectively melted in the pot.
				It is possible to participate in the
mainstream culture and develop and maintain whatev er ot h er cultural
activities or affiliatio n one wants, ancestral or otherwise. 
				
				
				But it is hard to learn a people's
language if you do not want to join their group. I speak from
experience.
				Steve
				
				
				-- 
				Steve Kaufmann
				www.lingq.com <http://www.lingq.com/> 
				1-604-922-8514
				 
	
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				-- 
				Steve Kaufmann 
				
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BR>1-6 04-922-8514
				
________________________________

	
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				Email delivered to taklein at austin.rr.com
		
		
		---------- Forwarded message ----------
		From: "Ted Klein" <taklein at austin.rr.com>
		To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion
List" <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
		Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:20:33 +0000
		Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2872] Re: citizenship
		--------------------- ------ -------------------------
		National Institute for Literacy
		Adult English Language Learners mailing list
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		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,
please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
		Email delivered to carolkubota at comcast.net
		-------------------------------------- ------ --------
		National Institute for Literacy
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		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,
please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
		Email delivered to steve at thelinguist.com
		
		
		
		-- 
		Steve Kaufmann
		www.lingq.com <http://www.lingq.com/> 
		1-604-922-8514
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