Title
The Need for Spanish in Mainstream Classrooms: A Celebratory Reclamation of Linguistic Identity
Date of Award
5-2021
Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
First Advisor
Denisha Jones
Second Advisor
Patricia Virella
Third Advisor
Jerusha Beckerman
Abstract
This paper is a testament to the sociocultural importance of bilingualism in mainstream U.S. classrooms, specifically pertaining to the Spanish language and communities in which there is a large percentage of Spanish speakers. Approximately 13% of Americans are native Spanish speakers, this is equivalent to 40 million people. States like Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Texas can boast populations that include over 1 million Hispanic people (United States Census Bureau, 2019). However, our school curriculums do not reflect the large percentage of Spanish-speaking students who roam their hallways. I argue that traditional English as a second language curriculums are isolating and that in order to embrace a linguistically rich culture. Spanish must fight its way out of resource rooms and into the mainstream classroom where it will be celebrated alongside English as an equally valued mode of expression. Both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers have so much to gain by the productive co-existence and mutual celebration of each language.
Recommended Citation
Torres, Keila, "The Need for Spanish in Mainstream Classrooms: A Celebratory Reclamation of Linguistic Identity" (2021). Art of Teaching Thesis - Written. 1.
https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/aot_written/1
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Latin American Languages and Societies Commons, Latin American Literature Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority Commons, Poetry Commons, Spanish Linguistics Commons