English Only Debate Research Paper

Running head: ENGLISH ONLY DEBATE

English Only Debate
Grand Canyon University
ESL-223N SEI English Language Teaching Foundations & Methodologies
English Only Debate The English only debate has been an ongoing deliberation for many decades in the United States. Questions from political parties, legislators, and common people have been a hot topic on the English only subject and what they believe would be best for the nation (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2008). Would having English as the national language of the United State unify the nation or would it tear it apart? Would it be politically correct? Would it be fair? Would it cause segregation? Would it be a security threat? These are just some of the questions that
are being raised when this heated topic presents itself. Theodore Roosevelt said that "We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. (Mora, 2009)." Is he right or is this just another political speech that died with the times? The influx of immigrants into the United States began a long time ago and there has always been a sort of segregation because of the languages barriers that occurred and are still occurring today. Most of the citizens in the United States are sympathetic toward the plight of immigrants and the freedom that the United States offers to them. However, society tends to throw a blind eye when it comes to the language barrier that is caused because of this. This barrier has caused many heated debates on the pros and cons of the United States adopting English only (Mora, 2009).
In the 1960s, laws and policies regarding education of the growing number of English language learner students coming into the public school system were being created by the federal and state governments (“The Aftermath,” 2011).
The Bilingual Education Act, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1968, was proclaimed as landmark legislation in defense of curriculum s for English language learner students. This federal law presented legal procedures and funding for transitional bilingual education programs. A sequence of federal court verdicts helped expand the opportunities and execution of Title VII (“The Aftermath,” 2011). The Supreme Court judgment in Lau v. Nichols in 1974 expected school districts to take steps to defend the civil rights of English language learners. From 1998 to 2008 initiatives really began to take shape for English language learners. In five different states voters were requested to come to a decision about educating policies that effect English language learners (Mora, 2009). Anti bilingual education vote proposal was passed in California in 1998, Arizona in 2000, and Massachusetts in 2002. However, the anti bilingual education was rejected in Colorado in 2002 and most recently in Oregon in 2008 (“The Importance of Our English Language,”
2001). There are many pros and cons that can be brought up in the debate of speaking English only in the United States. For example, many people believe that English should be the official language because it will help bring unity to the United States and if immigrants are coming over here then they should a least be able to speak English. Others believe that it does not matter if the speak English, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, or whatever because after all the United States is a melting pot of immigrants in the first place. A positive argument that can be brought about having English as the official language of the United States is that money allocated by the United States to educate and to reach other languages could be used toward other things such as education or medical care (Mora, 2009). Another positive idea would be that immigrants that currently do not speak English would be more likely to learn how to speak English thus helping in the communication barrier for jobs and school, as well as, being able to communicate to others during a crisis (“The Aftermath,” 2011). There are also negative effects that come with having English as the official language of the United States. Such as, having English only would be considered politically incorrect and may be viewed as bias against immigrants. This would have a negative effect on the economy because this could discourage tourism, companies coming to the United States, and even exports and imports to and from other countries. Another negative effect may even be that people lose sight of their own cultural difference that still today helps make the United States the great nation that it is. In Texas the English only debate is not as prevalent as in other states because of the many different immigrant cultures that call Texas their home. Almost every city in Texas sprung out of the ground from immigrants migrating from other parts of the world to find a new life in the United States. Spanish is spoken in almost every town and in most school districts ESL accommodation are already being used for Spanish speaking students. My view on the English only topic is two sided. I am a first generation American and when my father and mother came to the United States they both spoke English. However, when my grandfather and grandmother came to the United States my grandfather could not speak any English. My grandfather found that it was very hard not being able to communicate even for the simplest of reasons so he learned English. I feel that if you are coming to the United States then in order to help yourself then one would want to learn English. English may not be the official language of the United States but it is the adopted one and in order to find a job, go to school, communicate for the simplest of task in the United States then you need to learn English. English my not be the official language of the United States but it is what almost every American associates with.
You are no more an American if you speak English than someone that does not; however, English is what is pushed in the United States. Even in school for ESL students; the schools are not just accommodating the students because they speak a different language. The schools are having the students learn to speak, read, write, and comprehend in English. I believe that this is a good thing because if a person has the ability to learn another language and become bilingual then that person will have an upper hand in the work place and society from someone who can only speak one language. Is that not what we are trying to prepare the students of the future to be outside of school? Educators want their students to be successful, intuitive, and able to use critical thinking skills to perform above and beyond the call of duty in and out of school. Being bilingual gives those students that extra
chance.

Reference
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English learners (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
Mora, J. (2009). Supporting English language learners: From the ballot box to the classroom. Retrieved on Jan. 10, 2012, from; http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational- leadership/apr09/vol66/num07/From-the-Ballot-Box-to-the-Classroom.aspx
The Aftermath (2011). CMMR: Consequences and reactions to California’s referendum on bilingual education. Retrieved on Jan 11, 2012, from; http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~cmmr/aftermath.html
The Importance of Our English Language (2001). Eagle Forum. Retrieved on Jan 11, 2012, from; http://www.eagleforum.org/psr/2001/may01/psrmay01.shtml