In principal, yeah. But our 5-year-olds are having enough trouble mastering the ins and outs of their native tongue (English).
To me, this is like trying to force a kid to learn differential calculus when he can barely add and subtract.
I guess I don't know what Barry is striving at here. If his point is that voluntarily learning a foreign language is a cool step that could produce rewards later in life ... well, thanks for the info. That's kind of a no-duh type of statement. I mean, who doesn't agree with that?
If his point is that Little Johnny should be forced to learn how to conjugate French verbs in the present perfect tense while in kindergarten ... then I don't know how realistic this is.
Either way, I'm not sure what campaign point he's trying to make, other than he's embarrased by us rubes who are only fluent in one language.
Also, didn't Kerry basically lose the last election because he came off as elitist and quasi-European? Barry's risking coming off the same with ideas like this.
I am guessing you don't have children because at the tender ages of 3-5 they are filling their brains to the brim with info and learning at a shockingly fast pace. That would be the time to begin to form a base for a second language.
I don't see how this is Obama being embarassed. More like he wants to lift us up and become a nation that is not known for guns and donuts, but our ability to educate our children to the best of our abilities and prepare them for the future.
Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
I am guessing you don't have children because at the tender ages of 3-5 they are filling their brains to the brim with info and learning at a shockingly fast pace. That would be the time to begin to form a base for a second language.
I don't see how this is Obama being embarassed. More like he wants to lift us up and become a nation that is not known for guns and donuts, but our ability to educate our children to the best of our abilities and prepare them for the future.
just to lend this some more support: every serious scientific study shows that the younger children are the easier they learn a language. Once people are past 14 or even 16 you have to put a ton of effort into learning a language to become fluent.
whereas young children even pick up a language easy from a maid that speaks a different language just from her talking to them...
that's why in general for immigrants it's a great advantage to come to a new country at a very young age, since they are able a lot better than their parents to learn the new language and speak it like a native...
m.
Godwin's Law:
"As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
I am guessing you don't have children because at the tender ages of 3-5 they are filling their brains to the brim with info and learning at a shockingly fast pace. That would be the time to begin to form a base for a second language.
Again, if that's something parents want to do, have at it. I think it's very admirable. But I'm not sure that's what Obama is talking about here. If he's talking about making it part of the curriculum, where you have to pass Spanish to pass kindergarten ... not so sure that's feasible. Like I said, some kindergarteners are already getting their ass kicked by their native tongue.
I don't see how this is Obama being embarassed.
Ask Obama. He's the one who said he was embarassed about it... not me.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
In principal, yeah. But our 5-year-olds are having enough trouble mastering the ins and outs of their native tongue (English).
To me, this is like trying to force a kid to learn differential calculus when he can barely add and subtract.
My friends who are multilingual with English as their native language say it was learning another language that helped them truly master English.
Am I ashamed that I'm monolingual? Yes, I am. I'm also pissed that the elementary school I went to (which was run by the federal governemnt) didn't teach me another language while it still would have been easy to learn.
My friends who are multilingual with English as their native language say it was learning another language that helped them truly master English.
Am I ashamed that I'm monolingual? Yes, I am. I'm also pissed that the elementary school I went to (which was run by the federal governemnt) didn't teach me another language while it still would have been easy to learn.
I agree with Obama on this one wholeheartedly.
Absolutely agree with this. I am bilingual, and having the background of a second language has helped me not only with additional languages that I understand conversationally, but also with English. Research supports this. Kids who go back and forth between languages are exercising their brains in ways that one language kids aren't.
San Diego 10/25/00, Mountain View 6/1/03, Santa Barbara 10/28/03, Northwest School 3/18/05, San Diego 7/7/06, Los Angeles 7/9/06, 7/10/06, Honolulu (U2) 12/9/06, Santa Barbara (EV) 4/10/08, Los Angeles (EV) 4/12/08, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield 6/28/08, VH1 Rock Honors The Who 7/12/08, Seattle 9/21/09, Universal City 9/30/09, 10/1/09, 10/6/09, 10/7/09, San Diego 10/9/09, Los Angeles (EV) 7/8/11, Santa Barbara (EV) 7/9/11, Chicago 7/19/13, San Diego 11/21/13, Los Angeles 11/23/13, 11/24/13, Oakland 11/26/13, Chicago 8/22/16, Missoula 8/13/18, Boston 9/2/18, Los Angeles 2/25/22 (EV), San Diego 5/3/22, Los Angeles 5/6/22, 5/7/22, Imola 6/25/22, Los Angeles 5/21/24, [London 6/29/24], [Boston 9/15/24]
Again, if that's something parents want to do, have at it. I think it's very admirable. But I'm not sure that's what Obama is talking about here. If he's talking about making it part of the curriculum, where you have to pass Spanish to pass kindergarten ... not so sure that's feasible. Like I said, some kindergarteners are already getting their ass kicked by their native tongue.
yea but that's got nothing to do with learning a language....it's the state of our education system....no child left behind my ass....if european countries can do it, we certainly can....
yea but that's got nothing to do with learning a language....it's the state of our education system....no child left behind my ass....if european countries can do it, we certainly can....
I guess my point is, why don't we work on correcting major problems, before we worry ourselves with minor ones?
Johnny's inability to fucking read takes precedence over Johnny's inability to properly order a bottle of wine on the Champs-Elyesses.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
I guess my point is, why don't we work on correcting major problems, before we worry ourselves with minor ones?
Johnny's inability to fucking read takes precedence over Johnny's inability to properly order a bottle of wine on the Champs-Elyesses.
I don't think that's what Obama we're talking about.
San Diego 10/25/00, Mountain View 6/1/03, Santa Barbara 10/28/03, Northwest School 3/18/05, San Diego 7/7/06, Los Angeles 7/9/06, 7/10/06, Honolulu (U2) 12/9/06, Santa Barbara (EV) 4/10/08, Los Angeles (EV) 4/12/08, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield 6/28/08, VH1 Rock Honors The Who 7/12/08, Seattle 9/21/09, Universal City 9/30/09, 10/1/09, 10/6/09, 10/7/09, San Diego 10/9/09, Los Angeles (EV) 7/8/11, Santa Barbara (EV) 7/9/11, Chicago 7/19/13, San Diego 11/21/13, Los Angeles 11/23/13, 11/24/13, Oakland 11/26/13, Chicago 8/22/16, Missoula 8/13/18, Boston 9/2/18, Los Angeles 2/25/22 (EV), San Diego 5/3/22, Los Angeles 5/6/22, 5/7/22, Imola 6/25/22, Los Angeles 5/21/24, [London 6/29/24], [Boston 9/15/24]
I don't think that's what Obama we're talking about.
I guess that's sort of my over-arching point on this thread. I don't know what the fuck Obama IS talking about.
Is he saying I need to learn a bit of French before I take that summer vacation to Paris? If so, thanks for the suggestion. My travel agent said the same thing.
If he's saying I should somehow be forced to learn French as a kindergartener ... I don't know about that.
Mostly, I'm just tired of people telling me how I should live and how I should raise my kids.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
Is he saying I need to learn a bit of French before I take that summer vacation to Paris? If so, thanks for the suggestion. My travel agent said the same thing.
If he's saying I should somehow be forced to learn French as a kindergartener ... I don't know about that.
i don't know about barak, but my feeling is in the proper educational environment, adding another language to a young childs plate isn't that big of a deal....from what i understand is a child's brain can soak up a tremendous amount of info and retain it...like i said, europe and japan et al is doing it, why don't we?
Comments
I don't see how this is Obama being embarassed. More like he wants to lift us up and become a nation that is not known for guns and donuts, but our ability to educate our children to the best of our abilities and prepare them for the future.
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
just to lend this some more support: every serious scientific study shows that the younger children are the easier they learn a language. Once people are past 14 or even 16 you have to put a ton of effort into learning a language to become fluent.
whereas young children even pick up a language easy from a maid that speaks a different language just from her talking to them...
that's why in general for immigrants it's a great advantage to come to a new country at a very young age, since they are able a lot better than their parents to learn the new language and speak it like a native...
m.
"As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
Again, if that's something parents want to do, have at it. I think it's very admirable. But I'm not sure that's what Obama is talking about here. If he's talking about making it part of the curriculum, where you have to pass Spanish to pass kindergarten ... not so sure that's feasible. Like I said, some kindergarteners are already getting their ass kicked by their native tongue.
Ask Obama. He's the one who said he was embarassed about it... not me.
for the least they could possibly do
My friends who are multilingual with English as their native language say it was learning another language that helped them truly master English.
Am I ashamed that I'm monolingual? Yes, I am. I'm also pissed that the elementary school I went to (which was run by the federal governemnt) didn't teach me another language while it still would have been easy to learn.
I agree with Obama on this one wholeheartedly.
Absolutely agree with this. I am bilingual, and having the background of a second language has helped me not only with additional languages that I understand conversationally, but also with English. Research supports this. Kids who go back and forth between languages are exercising their brains in ways that one language kids aren't.
yea but that's got nothing to do with learning a language....it's the state of our education system....no child left behind my ass....if european countries can do it, we certainly can....
I guess my point is, why don't we work on correcting major problems, before we worry ourselves with minor ones?
Johnny's inability to fucking read takes precedence over Johnny's inability to properly order a bottle of wine on the Champs-Elyesses.
for the least they could possibly do
I don't think that's what Obama we're talking about.
I guess that's sort of my over-arching point on this thread. I don't know what the fuck Obama IS talking about.
Is he saying I need to learn a bit of French before I take that summer vacation to Paris? If so, thanks for the suggestion. My travel agent said the same thing.
If he's saying I should somehow be forced to learn French as a kindergartener ... I don't know about that.
Mostly, I'm just tired of people telling me how I should live and how I should raise my kids.
for the least they could possibly do
neither do i but he says it so well
i don't know about barak, but my feeling is in the proper educational environment, adding another language to a young childs plate isn't that big of a deal....from what i understand is a child's brain can soak up a tremendous amount of info and retain it...like i said, europe and japan et al is doing it, why don't we?
couldn't agree more