Adoption of English Language in America by Immigrants NAME CLASS PROFESSOR DATE Adoption of English Language in America by Immigrants Immigration into the United States has always been a cornerstone of society in America. Most of the population of the United States can trace their roots back to other countries around the world. There have been requirements about how to become a citizen and assimilate into life in the United States since the country’s inception. Part of this assimilation has traditionally included learning the English language as a part of adjusting to life in the United States. However, as more immigrants have come to the United States in increasing numbers, there have been large communities formed of immigrants who speak the same language and share the same culture. While this makes the United States a cultural melting pot, it makes it increasingly easier for people to continue to speak in their native languages rather than focus on learning the English language. This has changed the way that English is viewed in the United States. Increasing numbers of immigrants continue to speak their native language rather than focusing on learning English. This is especially true with certain segments of the population such as older immigrants and some Spanish speaking immigrants (Espenshade, & Fu, 1997). This is increasingly possible because there are many more options available in the United States that allow Spanish speakers to continue to conduct business in their native language rather than in English. These options include Spanish language radio and television networks, Spanish language versions of forms and applications, and interpreters or bi-lingual employees in both work settings as well as schools. As the people of the United States design more ways to accommodate the non-English speaking population, the incentive to learn to speak English is decreased in some of the immigrant population. However, while some immigrants determine that they are able to get through life in the United States fine without speaking English, others are determined to learn how to speak English. They are focused on being able to speak correctly as well. This has led to an increase in the amount of English Language Learner courses and teaching certifications that are available in the United States. Generally now as a part of any early childhood education program or teaching degree program available for future preschool and school teachers, there is at least one course required in teaching English Language Learners, also referred to as ELLs (English language training, 1995). These classes and coursework focus on teaching teachers to successfully be able to teach students who speak little or no English their general subjects in school as well as the basics of being able to speak English. These classes equip future teachers on how to deal with students and their families who may not speak English and how to create an environment that is con.

1. Adoption of English Language in America by Immigrants
NAME
CLASS
PROFESSOR
DATE
Adoption of English Language in America by Immigrants
Immigration into the United States has always been a
cornerstone of society in America. Most of the population of the
United States can trace their roots back to other countries
around the world. There have been requirements about how to
become a citizen and assimilate into life in the United States
since the country’s inception. Part of this assimilation has
traditionally included learning the English language as a part of
adjusting to life in the United States. However, as more
immigrants have come to the United States in increasing
numbers, there have been large communities formed of
immigrants who speak the same language and share the same
culture. While this makes the United States a cultural melting
pot, it makes it increasingly easier for people to continue to
speak in their native languages rather than focus on learning the

2. English language. This has changed the way that English is
viewed in the United States.
Increasing numbers of immigrants continue to speak their
native language rather than focusing on learning English. This
is especially true with certain segments of the population such
as older immigrants and some Spanish speaking immigrants
(Espenshade, & Fu, 1997). This is increasingly possible because
there are many more options available in the United States that
allow Spanish speakers to continue to conduct business in their
native language rather than in English. These options include
Spanish language radio and television networks, Spanish
language versions of forms and applications, and interpreters or
bi-lingual employees in both work settings as well as schools.
As the people of the United States design more ways to
accommodate the non-English speaking population, the
incentive to learn to speak English is decreased in some of the
immigrant population.
However, while some immigrants determine that they are
able to get through life in the United States fine without
speaking English, others are determined to learn how to speak
English. They are focused on being able to speak correctly as
well. This has led to an increase in the amount of English
Language Learner courses and teaching certifications that are
available in the United States. Generally now as a part of any
early childhood education program or teaching degree program
available for future preschool and school teachers, there is at
least one course required in teaching English Language
Learners, also referred to as ELLs (English language training,
1995). These classes and coursework focus on teaching teachers
to successfully be able to teach students who speak little or no
English their general subjects in school as well as the basics of
being able to speak English. These classes equip future teachers
on how to deal with students and their families who may not
speak English and how to create an environment that is
conducive to being able to successfully learn English.
No one is saying that learning English is an easy task. The

3. language is complex with many words that have more than one
meaning, many words that are pronounced the same but spelled
differently, letter combinations that create strange sounds,
silent letters, and many words that are spelled the same and said
differently. This can create a mine field for students who
struggle to learn which “to” is the correct one in which
sentence, whether it is “two”, “too”, or “to” that is called for to
make the sentence correct. Another challenge with learning
English is the array of slang words that are used both in various
regions as well as across the country. These words, which
younger students hear daily in school, are not in the dictionary
or have a different meaning listed than their slang meaning.
This creates a common problem of misunderstanding for
students who are learning English as a second language.
The final challenge to teaching younger students how to
speak English in school is that they can lose ground every night
when they return home. Many times the student lives in a family
where their parents and other siblings speak their native
language while they are at home each night so the student is
expected to as well. Without having that time available to
practice their new skills with the people that they are the most
comfortable with, learning English can be an uphill battle.
Many people complain in the media and among themselves
that as Americans we make it too easy to live in the United
States and not speak English. However, the adaptations that
have been made were with the thought of making it possible for
people to fill out forms and get assistance that they need when
they have first arrived in the United States and not as a way to
enable citizens to never learn to speak English. There are also
many immigrants that are in the United States on a temporary
basis, such as with a six month work visa or a two or three year
student visa that allows them to take some classes or work for
an amount of time while they are in the United States but then
they must return to their home country. This makes some of the
immigrants in this situation view learning English as a waste of
their time since they are only here on a temporary basis. While

4. many complain about the new rules of publishing forms and, in
some states, road signs, in a language besides English, it would
make the situation much safer if all motorists were able to read
the signs in their native language. This is especially true of
languages that have a high tourism rate in the United States or
that see many new immigrants that speak that language. This is
true with the Spanish speaking population in states such as
Texas and California where there are many short term residents
who speak Spanish but little English.
While it was not common fifty or more years ago to see
concessions made to help immigrants who had not yet been able
to master the English language, the population of immigrants
was much less visible at that time. Today there are more radio
and television networks as well as the internet so there is more
visibility of immigrant populations and the help that they may
need. It is important to realize that with the visibility that is
available today, there are more people who are able to see and
comment on the social issues that face them today than in years
gone by.
References
English language training for immigrants to be cut. (1995, Sep
18). Canadian Press NewsWire. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/356779451?accountid=3252
1
Espenshade, T. J., & Fu, H. (1997). An analysis of english-
language proficiency among U.S. immigrants. American
Sociological Review, 62(2), 288-305. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/218764365?accountid=3252
1

5. An issue that continues to be discussed is adoption of a national
language in the United States. Many have argued that the United
States of America should adopt English as a national language.
Other argue that imposing a national language should encumber
any other nationalities present and represented in the United
states. After giving this issue some though write what you think
the United States should do. You may also include the
implication of your decision on schools, your workplace, other
situations, or all of the above.