Blog Post #8
Reflection on “Aria” by Richard Rodriguez
Language is one of the keystones of our society. One of the facets of humanity that separates us from other animals is our ability to communicate with one another. As educators are those tasked with teaching and preparing the students of the future, we must recognize our role in the development of language.
“Aria” by Richard Rodriguez is a text that reflects the delicate balance of teaching a new language without erasing the past. This central idea is best represented by a quote on page two, where Rodriguez states that as a young Spanish speaker learning English, “...[Rodriguez] couldn't believe that the English language was [his] to use.” (pg 2).
In my own opinion, this quote summarizes one of the central themes that has been discussed in class thus far. When we regard our MLL students, it’s important to consider the identity-related confusion that is ever present as they navigate learning a second language. Teaching students whose first language is not English is an incredibly delicate subject, as it is key to recognize the fine line between teaching them English in order to prepare them for the real world, and not erasing their cultural heritage.
We can also compare this text to Delpit’s “Culture of Power,” as we note that both authors are encouraging us as educators to prepare our minority students for the world they will face outside of school. It is a fact that linguistic racism exists, and will likely exist for many years to come. In order to best prepare our students, we just equip them with the power to “speak white.” It is the unfortunate reality that POC students will obtain more opportunities and successes if they are able to communicate with those who hold the power. However, we must also encourage these students to hold onto their home language. To teach our students the codes of conduct related to the workforce in a country that places white people at a significant level of privilege is to arm them with the ability to defend themselves and their ideologies no matter what form of bigotry is thrown at them.
With this text, I’ve included a hyperlink to a wonderful resource on strategies for teaching MLL learners! Check it out, it’s very helpful and provides wonderful insights on how to approach the topics we are grappling with in class on a more “real-world” scale.
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