Imagine if they had to deal with evolution being introduced to the curriculum rather than simply tolerating it already being taught.

I don't think they got over it, they just have more pressing inconsequential things to be concerned about now.

You could probably sell them on Spanish if you tell them that there are a lot of white people in Spain after you explain that Spanish didn't originate in Mexico.

that and the entire class structure of learning a language sucks ass

You learn through conversations/watching movies/listening to music in that language.

That's why moving to a place where they speak a different language is the fastest way to learn a language.

But I've heard of studies that suggest learning a 2nd language is cognitively beneficial beyond just being able to speak it, so I would agree with teaching kids English and Spanish side by side. But like batlord said the rednecks ain't having that **** anyway.

...

It's definitely well understood that in order to acquire native speaker fluidity you must learn as a child. However, that type of ability to navigate a second language is only developed by immersion and neccessity or in educational environments that are only available to very few Americans.

In Japan, I taught many 7th graders with no prior knowledge in classes with kids who had been studying with native speakers since they were three. By 8th grade the achievement gap was usually completely closed. My conclusion was that investing heavily in foreign language during the elementary years wields poor returns.

I think it’s kind of like algebra. If you push a kid hard as hell he might be able to do it in 6th or 7th grade but if you wait until 9th and 10th grade the same kid can learn algebra with much less effort.

Learning a foreign language is great and highly beneficial (like jwb pointed out) from a cognitive standpoint. Unfortunately, mandating it across the American curriculum would be a poor use of resources.

Re: evolution - lol @ anyone who thinks it’s being taught in Jesusland.

Why burden non-Spanish speaking immigrants with learning two languages? There are 350 languages spoken in the US. Either everyone learn all 350 or just use English as the lingua franca.

ESOL kids get a modified curriculum so that wouldn’t be an issue.

The USA has the second most Spanish speaking people in the world.

57% are bilingual. So you believe you should learn Spanish so you can speak to someone who is bilingual and can understand you in English, but probably couldn't understand you while you struggle to speak Spanish.

I often prefer interacting with people who don't speak English when it is someone I don't need to have extensive dialogue with.

I had a coworker who was some short old asian guy who barely spoke English.

We mostly worked in silence. Occasionally one of us would try to strike up small talk with the other, but his English was limited.

I asked him one time what country he's from. He said Vietnam. I asked what did he used to do in Vietnam. He said he was a soldier.

Then we went back to awkward silence.