Draft

Draft
            During my senior year of high school, for a semester, I became a student teacher. I joined a class who went to the elementary school down the street once a week and taught lessons to the first grade children. I had a small group of six or less children and we would play games to help them with their spelling and reading. I had a very smart group of children, but there was one little girl in my group who did not speak or play with any of the other children, she also did not participate any of the activities. The little boy who sat next to her told me she did not speak any English just Spanish, so I could not really teach her because she could not understand me nor could I understand her. I always felt sad for her because I knew she wanted to participate, but she could not speak the language and I knew she needed a certain amount of teaching I could not give her, especially in the amount of time I was given to spend with my group. She did not socialize with any other students and was not able to do much of her class work. I just hoped she would eventually get the support and help she needed to learn English. Children who do not have the confidence in a dominant language would become isolated, ashamed, and misunderstood at school.
            A child would feel isolated when they do not know how to communicate with others outside of their cultures. At home is where children feel safe, can be themselves, and interact with those they can relate with. School is where children learn and socialize, and language is a big part of that society, but children become disadvantaged when they are unable to express themselves. This is where they create barriers and could go through the whole school year not saying a word, just as Maxine Hong Kingston did in her essay, “During the first silent year I spoke to no one at school, did not ask before going to the lavatory, and flunked kindergarten.”(11) Because of her language barriers she was alone and did not...