Blog #2 on Chicano English - Synthesis

Each article explains the differences and similarities Mexican Americans have with European Americans. Although European Americans have been in the United States longer, we came to this country with our own language and had to acquire English. This is no different for Mexican Americans. What European Americans did a few hundred years ago, Mexican Americans are doing now, and have only had about 50 years a it: acquiring English and assimilating US culture.

The issues with not only acquiring a second language but working one's way into another culture can leave behind psychic costs for anyone. Being mindful of these costs: change in economic and social status, unfamiliarity with procedures and customs, difficulty in determining the correct school system for a child, are just some of the issues Mexican Americans face.

Educators must be mindful of the transition that our students are going through. We must also realize that just because a student has a Spanish accent, it doesn't mean they cannot speak or write in English. We cannot simply sort Mexican American or Spanglish speaking individuals into an ESL course and be done with it. An ESL course may move too slowly for this type of student and they may also resent being lumped in with true ELLs, when they actually have a pretty good command of the English language.

Although not explicit in each article we read this week, we read about SLIPs (Spoken Language Interference Patterns) and Ear Learners. Mexican Americans may very well be ear learners and have a strong understanding of spoken English, and only need assistance with transitioning from spoken to written English.

Educators must also embrace the variety of cultural insights, customs and heritages from Mexican American and all Latino/Latina individuals. They bring a rich linguistic variety to the language. Spanglish is a dialect just like AAVE and it is also part of a cultural identity which should be welcomed and celebrated.