Comments on: ALA Report on Non-English Speakers http://libraryriot.com/2008/03/27/ala-report-on-non-english-speakers/ The revolution will not be blogged. Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:55:31 +0000 hourly 1 By: Alexandra http://libraryriot.com/2008/03/27/ala-report-on-non-english-speakers/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Alexandra Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:16:30 +0000 http://libraryriot.com/2008/03/27/ala-report-on-non-english-speakers/#comment-23 The United States has the privilege of not having to learn another language because of its geographical isolation from other countries (unlike European countries, for example), and as the richest nation in the world, we're used to having citizens of other countries and immigrants to the US learn English. But as jobs are outsourced and as the population of the US changes, we'll have to give up that sense of entitlement to function economically. Also, we're all ultimately "immigrants" except for Native Americans. If people don't like how immigrants are affecting the country, then we all need to go to our countries of origin and let the Native Americans live in the US alone, again. The United States has the privilege of not having to learn another language because of its geographical isolation from other countries (unlike European countries, for example), and as the richest nation in the world, we’re used to having citizens of other countries and immigrants to the US learn English. But as jobs are outsourced and as the population of the US changes, we’ll have to give up that sense of entitlement to function economically. Also, we’re all ultimately “immigrants” except for Native Americans. If people don’t like how immigrants are affecting the country, then we all need to go to our countries of origin and let the Native Americans live in the US alone, again.

]]> By: Melissa http://libraryriot.com/2008/03/27/ala-report-on-non-english-speakers/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Melissa Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:15:15 +0000 http://libraryriot.com/2008/03/27/ala-report-on-non-english-speakers/#comment-22 I could probably write a book on this, being an ESOL teacher who is in the process of becoming a school librarian. Good read. I guess since I spend most of my time in a situation where I'm surrounded by students who speak Spanish (and a very small handful speak Vietnamese), it doesn't seem like huge news that more and more people won't be speaking English in the near future. The librarian-to-be in me is all for making sure that resources are available to these patrons in their language, and that the library experience is But... the ESOL teacher in me doesn't want non-English speakers to continuously rely on services/materials to always be available in their native language. I know it's a great thing to strive for, and probably is already in place in some areas. It is not the norm, however, in all areas, and in the event that a family were to move from Atlanta to say, small-town Arkansas, where non-English resources might not be as plentiful, they won't have that safety net there. I think there is a fine line between wanting to assist others the best we can, and at the same time, possibly building a very fragile sense of security that might not be transferable to all situations. Ok, back to my never-ending research and writing! I could probably write a book on this, being an ESOL teacher who is in the process of becoming a school librarian.

Good read. I guess since I spend most of my time in a situation where I’m surrounded by students who speak Spanish (and a very small handful speak Vietnamese), it doesn’t seem like huge news that more and more people won’t be speaking English in the near future. The librarian-to-be in me is all for making sure that resources are available to these patrons in their language, and that the library experience is

But… the ESOL teacher in me doesn’t want non-English speakers to continuously rely on services/materials to always be available in their native language. I know it’s a great thing to strive for, and probably is already in place in some areas. It is not the norm, however, in all areas, and in the event that a family were to move from Atlanta to say, small-town Arkansas, where non-English resources might not be as plentiful, they won’t have that safety net there.

I think there is a fine line between wanting to assist others the best we can, and at the same time, possibly building a very fragile sense of security that might not be transferable to all situations.

Ok, back to my never-ending research and writing!

]]>