By Giselle RodriguezSpecial to CSMS Magazine Language is the means of preserving culture and the medium of transmitting culture to new generations. Language lets us express our internal states. Language is a great tool to archive history. It is believed that language and culture hold the power to cultural identity. When one studies another language, words and sounds for those symbols differentiate, but also are the rules for using those symbols and sounds. Language varies in different countries and reflects on cultures. How people think and speak depends on their culture. Many people make decisions based on what they were taught at home and what their culture believes. Language may not determine the way we think but it influences the way we perceive and remember things. When one communicates with someone from the same culture, he/she becomes more comfortable with the terms he/she uses to symbolize things. In other situations with people from different cultures, one has to be very careful in what is being said, and how it is being said. Many co-cultures perceive and interact with the dominant culture. People who are from different countries try to learn to communicate with the dominant culture because it is very important to be able to understand one another. The United States is currently the third largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. At school, language barriers make it difficult for some students because there isn’t sufficient help for those who fall in this situation. Some parents don’t have the time to attend English classes because they have to work. Therefore, they continue to speak to their children in Spanish and don’t practice the English language at home. But in most schools, there are programs and teachers that work with ESOL students or limited English proficiency students. There are certified teachers that help those students from other countries expand their English vocabulary and become familiar with frequently used terms.Many ESOL teachers are familiar with the Spanish and Creole languages, but very few are familiar with other language such as French, Chinese, Arabic and so forth. Now in days, there are more programs that are available for students from different countries and cultures to help students learn English. I think the school system has to be ready for all types of students, including ESOL, foreign and disable students. Without language we wouldn’t be what we are today. Language is very important not only to communicate, but also to preserve our culture.Giselle Rodriguez is an education major at Nova Southeastern University. She wrote this piece exclusively for CSMS Magazine.
Understanding the importance of language in our society
