ELL361 ELL/361 ELL 361 WEEK 2 DISCUSSION 1/DQ 1 ACTUAL AND IMAGINED -NEW D O W N LOA D H E R E ELL361 ELL/361 ELL 361 Week 2 Discussion 1/DQ 1 Actual and Imagined -NEW Actual and Imagined In 2004, the United Nations issued the following statement in its report on human development: There is no more powerful means of “encouraging” individuals to assimilate to a dominant culture than having the economic, social and political returns stacked against their mother tongue. Such assimilation is not freely chosen if the choice is between one’s mother tongue and one’s future (p. 33). After reading Chapter 1 from Imagining Multilingual Schools: Language in Education and Globalization, share how you imagine schools could build on and support the multiplicity of languages and literacy in our globalized world so students could learn a second language but maintain and use their native languages. Next, discuss the following: a. What issues do you believe you will face as an educator? b. How do you feel about the choice between one’s future and one’s mother tongue? c. What multilingual educational options are available in your area now? d. What factors (beyond the school or your future classrooms) impact the design and implementation of multilingual education programs in your area? Guided Response: Review each of your classmates’ posts. Respond to at least three of your peers with an analysis of their visions for a school that supports multiplicity of languages. Suggest additional ideas or resources that could help make their visions a reality. Provide solutions for overcoming some of the issues you will face. Respond to classmates who may hold a different view about the choice between one’s future and one’s mother tongue. Provide additional evidence that supports your point of view.
Compare educational options in your area with others, and offer suggestions that would explain the differences.