The Official Language Movement
University of Phoenix Axia College
Many people have different opinions on the official language movement. My opinion however is a little mixed. I believe that English should be America’s official language. I do not think that it is right for Spanish speaking people to flood America and then make us change our language to include theirs. As far as I am concerned they can speak Spanish all they want but I do not care to learn the language the same way they do not care to learn English. If the official language is changed in America to English and Spanish I would be extremely angry because then I would be at a disadvantage in my own country. Many Americans, as well as myself, do not have the time to learn another language.
Krashen, the author of Under Attack: The Case Against Bilingual Education says that critics think that bilingual education doesn't work. Students in bilingual education programs do not learn English and those who have never had bilingual education appear to do very well without it. Also, critics claim that most parents and teachers don't want bilingual education, and that it contributes to the erosion of English in the United States. So Krashen wrote a book that examines the following issues:
• Does the research show that bilingual education doesn't work? (No)
• Is English in trouble? (No)
• Are most parents and teachers against bilingual education? (No)
• Will bilingual education work for languages other than Spanish? (Yes)
• What about those who succeed without bilingual education?
o Is bilingual education good for English? (Yes !)
o Can bilingual education be improved? (Yes !)
Sundberg, wrote an article that argues against bilingual education saying that the English language binds together a multicultural people.
In the article Bilingualism in Politics the author writes “when a person speaks three languages it is called trilingual, when someone speaks two languages...