The Rodriguez Tale
The Rodriguez tale clarifies the ongoing argument over whether bilingual education programs are effective. Rodriguez deftly describes the process he went through in his early years in an English-speaking class in the tale "Aria." He makes it abundantly obvious that a bilingual program is not the best option for immigrant students who still regard English as the only language that is permitted in the classroom and their native tongue as a private language. Despite the difficulties he encountered in his early years of education, Rodriguez was able to adjust to the English-only American educational system. However, he had to sacrifice his family closeness by abandoning Spanish and embrace the American culture in totality.
Rodriguez's Confusion
Rodriguez was enrolled in an English-speaking school without proper strategies on assimilation into the system. Up to the age of six years, he was still confused on the different pressures he was facing at school and home. At school, he had to take up the "public language" that he was still struggling to learn in the tense moments he spent in class. On the other hand, he also had to maintain his Mexican identify at home by communicating in Spanish with his family members and relatives. It was unfortunate that the school did not take the initiative to develop a plan that would quicken the process of adapting to the American education system. Given that Rodriguez siblings were in the same school and were also having problems synching with the rest of the students, it was the responsibility of the school to devise ways to help the ESL (English as a Second Language) students to find their way in and out of class.
The Role of Parents
Rodriguez's struggles to learn English could have been avoided if the teachers discussed with the parents the best way to inculcate the children into the American culture. It is unfortunate that many immigrant children have difficulty in their schooling because of the private-public dilemma that disturbed Rodriguez and his siblings. Not many immigrant parents who cannot speak English fluently can force themselves to communicate in English while at home with their children. They would rather communicate in their native language that is smooth and natural in flow. However, Rodriguez's parents were considerate enough to sacrifice their comfort at home for the sake of their children. The question remains, how many parents can do the same for their children?
The Benefits of a Bilingual Program
Some form of the bilingual program could help immigrant students fit into the American schooling system. Rodriguez admits that he would be pleased to hear a teacher address him in Spanish. However, he was worried that if that happened, it would take longer for him to adopt English and drop Spanish altogether. Somehow, his assumptions are not entirely accurate. With bilingual program, immigrant students can have a few lessons taught in their mother tongue as way to make them feel welcomed in the new school system. In fact, the American students can also learn the foreign language used by the bilingual students so that the two groups can help each other. Rodriguez could have felt awesome if a few students approached him to assist them with their Spanish lessons. He would easily contact them to get help with English and thus, quicken his assimilation process.
The Role of the Family
Things changed in Rodriguez's family when the nun from school visited and advised their parents to use English when communicating with the children. The strategy worked, and soon, Rodriguez and his siblings were soon talking in fluent English. It is ironical that the parents did not catch up despite the fact that they were also taking part in the communication process. Furthermore, the parents also work with American colleagues who could help them become fluent in English as they practiced every day. Therefore, it is unrealistic for Rodriguez to insist that the family lost touch when the children took up the American language and stopped communicating in Spanish. It could have been easy for the whole family to change since they all actively interacted with the Americans.
The Importance of Bilingual Education
Ultimately, Rodriguez assertions that bilingual education program could slow the process of learning English is not valid. The program does not encourage the ESL students to communicate exclusively in their native language while in school. All the students use English as the core language of instruction, but the immigrant students have a few classes administered in their respective mother tongues. At the same time, the native English speakers can have the opportunity to learn a second language that will make it easy for them to interact with the ESL students. The whole process bridges the cultural gap in school and makes it easy for the non-English speakers to feel welcomed and valued by the American system. Most importantly, immigrant parents should be encouraged to help their children learn the American culture instead of sticking to their native cultures exclusively. This will help them interact with the neighbors and other Americans without feeling uncomfortable.
