Quote:
Originally Posted by Taualumna
I know.....flame war waiting to happen...
Globe and Mail via Canadian Press
What's really sad is the Canadian born Grade 2 kid who is taking English as a Second Language (ESL) in school. There's no mention on whether he spent some time in the old country or not, but if he didn't, it really shows how schools have changed in the past 25-30 years (I was one of those kids. I started kindergarten in the mid-80s only knowing a few words - not enough to even ask if I can go to the bathroom. But I caught up fast...by Halloween, I was just like everyone else). Really, a kid in Grade 2 has been in school for over two years, including kindergarten. Kid should NOT be in ESL. You might say that the family may live in a neighbourhood that is predominantly Punjabi-speaking or whatnot, but it doesn't sound like it, since the grandmother says she'd like to be able to speak to her neighbours. |
I came to the US when I was 2. I also started kindergarten in the mid-80's. I was in ESL from 1st grade until about halfway through 3rd grade. I took regular classes with all the other kids, but I would leave class for a one-hour one-on-one session with the ESL teacher everyday. I knew enough English to get around and to understand what the regular teacher was teaching. But I was in ESL to get extra help with pronunciation, grammar, idioms, and vocabulary.