Local Latinos Earn GED's in Spanish
Monica Landeros:
Some people in Peoria are working toward their GED’s even though they don't speak English.
Tuesday evening was the first day of GED class for a group of Peoria Latinos. The small group has big ambitions even on the first day.
“I'm studying to earn my GED. I need it,” said student Nazareo Leon in Spanish.
Language used to be a barrier for the adult students, but not anymore. They’re studying for their GED’s in Spanish with the help of Teri Hinrichsen.
“They kind of have to go through some fear barriers. So Spanish lowers and they can feel more comfortable,” said Hinrichsen.
And by working through their thick GED guidebook, there's new hope they won't get turned down for a job.
”For example, in a lot of places where I’ve presented myself, they always request it,” said Leon.
Without a GED, he was turned away, but now that disappointment is turning into opportunities.
“There are people here who want to go on and further their education, and don't want to be working per say, doing manual labor,” said Hinrichsen.
“I know a little English, but not everything, and having this class in Spanish, it’s much easier to learn faster,” said student Mario Belasco in Spanish.
It's an opportunity they hope others like them will not pass up.
“Being here, it's very useful to me. Having that document helps in jobs and to move forward,” said Belasco.
“Well, I feel happiness and joy. They want to help the Hispanic people,” said Leon.
Hinrichsen says walk-in's for the GED class are always welcome.
Classes run through December and the GED can be taken once a month
The free class is sponsored through Illinois Central College and the Friendship House.
Abolishing America (contd.): Another Step To Spanish-Only Enclaves
Public Sector Threatens Predominance of English Language
Se habla Espanol?
Resident's New Book Tackles Illegal Immigration
Editor At Christian Science Monitor Opposes Cure For Illegal Aliens
Census Bureau: American Living Standards Now Seriously Impacted By Immigration
posted by Adam Lawson @ 11:48 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
As if the GED wasn't meaningless enough...
It is not just the GED, look at this news story from 1997:
Students At Bilingual College Fail English Test
Attorneys for irate college seniors who failed a simple English proficiency exam at the City University of New York (CUNY) argue their clients should receive diplomas anyway. The students claim they were led to believe they would not have to take the exam in order to graduate.
At the center of the controversy is former U.S. Rep. Herman Badillo, sponsor of the Bilingual Education Act of 1974. Badillo was also responsible for the creation of Hostos Community College -- the one bilingual institution in the CUNY system. Now he is reportedly very much aware of the pitfalls of bilingual education.
Entering freshmen at Hostos, which has a student body 80 percent Hispanic, are required to write a brief essay called the Writing Assessment Test -- an exam required of all students entering any one of CUNY's 21 colleges.
Those failing the test -- which is geared to a seventh-grade level -- are required to take remedial courses and eventually pass them, with as many opportunities as they wish to retake it, in order to graduate.
Although the test requires students to write only 300 English words on such subjects as America as the land of opportunity, or whether celebrities make good role models -- the students protested that the test was too difficult.
Hostos administrators substituted an even easier test -- which the overwhelming majority of students taking it also failed.
CUNY's board of trustees told students they must pass the original test in order to receive a diploma; but only 13 out of 104 of those taking the test passed.
Badillo notes that after three years of bilingual education at CUNY, 85 percent of the deficient students can't read or write English -- only 15 percent are qualified to go into a regular program.
Source: Dorothy Rabinowitz (WSJ editorial board), "Reading, Writing and Graduation," Wall Street Journal, June 16, 1997.
http://www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/pdedu/pdedu154.html
Post a Comment
<< Home