COVER LETTER:

   In this essay i covered a wide range of different opinions/ statistics that present the struggles that immigrant families face when english is their second language. The struggles ranged from communication struggles, judgement, and not getting the same opportunities that others might have gotten who know english. This topic is important to me because my family also has english as their second language and i have seen them experience judgement and more. The audience that appeals to this would be people that speak a different variation of a language or its not their primary language. The audience would be able to use this essay to relate to what might also be going on for them or just to gain insight on what others go through and how they might be able to handle it.  This is a meaningful piece and it was very interesting getting to know everyones different takes on it through the different articles i have cited. Some of the articles that i have cited include pro english speakers and why they think immigrants should know the language fully and thorough and other articles i have cited are more informational on how they can learn english efficiently/ stats on what happens to immigrants that don’t learn english. The reason i did this was so that i could get all angles of people and their belief on the situation in order to develop my own. 

 Carlos Robles

Professor Molly

English 110

11/13/20

Immigrant Families Learn English (FINAL)

  The english language has become widely accepted as the primary language in the United States for many people. Pro English speakers claim it to be the native language and that it has to be spoken one way. Because of this claim, immigrants that might use english as a secondary language, get discriminated against and even harassed because of their so-called “flaws” in the use of it. English has many different forms but many believe that it has a primary form and that it should be used in that specific sense. Throughout time, immigrants coming from other countries and coming into this one have brought with them a slew of cultures and languages which then turned us into a melting pot of people and throughout this process, english has developed different types of slang, accents, and more. It is used in many different variations and some differ and claim that english should be spoken one way. 

   Immigrant families coming to new countries can be stressful especially when there is a communication barrier between both parties. In an article written by Hannah Summers called “Language barrier leaves refugees facing struggle to rebuild their lives”, She goes into detail on the struggles that the refugees face when coming to a new country and the main problems that they face include communication barriers.”The results show that people with better English skills are more satisfied with their job and education and have a better understanding of British culture.”(Paragraph 10). This piece of evidence shows how immigrants that came to a different country and learned English more proficiently had better job and educational opportunities. The link between a person’s understanding of English tends to play a big role in the opportunities they get because of the immediate judgement.”I used to cry when I had to talk to someone”(Paragraph 27) This shows the insecurities that people face who use english as a second language. Communication can become embarrassing and unenjoyable when the person is being constantly judged and looked down upon. 

   In another article written by Michelangelo Landgrave called “ Immigrants Learn English: Immigrants’ Language Acquisition Rates by Country of Origin and Demographics since 1900”, He illustrates how important it is to learn english as an immigrant in order to assimilate into society more smoothly and better. It also takes statistics to explain why it might be easier to learn english as an immigrant. “In contemporary politics there is a concern that although earlier waves of immigrants learned English, newer cohorts are doing so at lower rates.”(Paragraph 1) This piece of evidence shows that the newer generations of immigrants that are coming in are learning english at lower rates and not being able to maintain constant communication with people that know english fluently. It can be bad when the resources provided are low and then it causes the opportunity to better things to fade because of the constant language barrier that will be happening. “About 26 percent of Americans who said they frequently or sometimes come into contact with immigrants who speak little or no English say that it bothers them.”(Paragraph 2) This piece of evidence shows how pro english speakers dont like when someone that uses english as a second language and it can become discriminating and even embarrassing.

   An article by Impact called “When Immigrants Learn English” illustrates what can happen if english is learned and what can happen to communities that don’t assist its non english speakers on learning english”Numerous studies have shown that immigrants who are proficient in English earn more than those who lack proficiency.”(Paragraph 3) The opportunities that immigrants get are lower when their proficiency in english is lower which can lead to less success in jobs and education. Some causes for this is that they cant communicate as well and they are immediately judged upon.”English skills also contribute to immigrants’ civic involvement and social connection to their new home.”(Paragraph 6) This piece of evidence shows the positive things that can happen if immigrants learn english. English proficiency can lead to a better social life and communication within peers.

   When coming to a new country, it can be hard to assimilate into a new environment and whole different culture which includes english. Learning english as a primary language as an immigrant has many challenges that come with it like communication, social life, job opportunities and educational opportunities. Discrimination and judgement can seem to come from many directions and be very stressful and hard but english is essential in many ways because it is spoken the most in America and the UK etc. The sources used showed the different angles and perspectives of pro english speakers, statistics, and pure information on how to learn english.These were some facts about what immigrant families deal with when first coming to an english speaking country.

SOURCES USED:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/16/language-barrier-refugees-english-classes-integration-esol “Language barrier leaves refugees facing struggle to rebuild their lives” Hannah Summers, November 16, 2016

https://www.cato.org/publications/immigration-research-policy-brief/immigrants-learn-english-immigrants-language “Immigrants Learn English: Immigrants’ Language Acquisition Rates by Country of Origin and Demographics since 1900”, Michelangelo Landgrave, September 17, 2019

https://www.frederickliteracy.org/immigrants-learn-english/ “When Immigrants Learn English . . .”, By Impact, August 17, 2017