Is Filipino Being Kicked Out Of College?

[Medic Mike]

 

 

I"m just wondering how many of our American members can speak Spanish?  Isn't Spanish the unofficial second language of the USA?  

 

Same here in Canada...  How many of us can speak passible French at a working level?  I know I can't!  Yet when I was in Grade 5, we started taking French classes.  Every year, until I finally quit taking French class, we had the same thing over and over...  The same Grade One primer.  How many times can you say "Regardez Pitou! Regardez Jean!  Regardez HR Puffinstuff!"  And perhaps they have the same situation in the Philippines?  Before we complain that the kids aren't learning anything, has anyone looked to see what they are being taught?

 

:rolleyes:

When I was running the fast track dept at Marin General in California, about 40% of my patients spoke spanish only....all the medical staff had to learn spanish to be able to treat our patients correctly. It is amazing how much you forget of a language if not practised often. It has been almost 14 years since I was working in that position, and I can only remember a few phrases :)

 

 

"It is amazing how much you forget of a language if not practised often"  You are correct about that but the students I'm talking just came from school so they should be able to remember some of what they were taught.

 

In 1979 I was in the US Army and got orders to go to Germany.  Before I left Fort Carson in Colorado I attended a 2 week class learning the German language taught by an American and when I arrived in Germany I had another 2 weeks class which was taught by a German lady.  For graduation our entire class was required to go to a German restaurant and only speak in German the entire time we were there. If someone said one word in English that person would fail and have to repeat the 2 weeks course again. We had to greet the waiter, order our food, pay our bill, and all conversation must be in German. Every person passed the course.  I haven't seen a high school graduate in the Philippines who could pass that test in English and they study English for many years.

 

Sounds like an excellent German class :)

[Thomas]

Before we complain that the kids aren't learning anything, has anyone looked to see what they are being taught?

Yes. Concerning Mathematics can't even most TEACHERS!

But I believe the Filipin schools are much better at teaching languages,

many Filipins CAN English (but much better at writing than talking)

BUT many Filipins have low self asteem, and I suppouse worsend by their "lose face" culture, many Filipins don't WANT to talk English, when they are affraid if say wrong...

"I"m just wondering how many of our American members can speak Spanish? Isn't Spanish the unofficial second language of the USA?" No, Spanish is not an unofficial language of the USA.

Some crazy it isn't, it was only around 160 years since the west/soutwest of USA was NOT English but Spanish speaking...

 

(But I admit I can only a few words of the official minority languages in Sweden   :)

It is amazing how much you forget of a language if not practised often.

It was similar for me concerning German,

BUT I had it stored somewhere in back of my head, it came back, when I needed to use it again in work years later.

[i am bob]

In 1979 I was in the US Army and got orders to go to Germany.  Before I left Fort Carson in Colorado I attended a 2 week class learning the German language taught by an American and when I arrived in Germany I had another 2 weeks class which was taught by a German lady.  For graduation our entire class was required to go to a German restaurant and only speak in German the entire time we were there. If someone said one word in English that person would fail and have to repeat the 2 weeks course again. We had to greet the waiter, order our food, pay our bill, and all conversation must be in German. Every person passed the course.  I haven't seen a high school graduate in the Philippines who could pass that test in English and they study English for many years.

 

I do agree that more Filipinos could know English better but who am I to tell them that they have to?  It isn't my country!  They are fluent in one of their official languages - or so I would assume as they did graduate from school.  If the government is going to mandate that a person needs to know one language over another to hold a certain position or to attend an educational facility, then wouldn't the government be beholden to ensure EVERYBODY in the country is taught and tutored until EVERYBODY is fluent in all official languages?

 

Comparing an English speaking person learning German to someone who only knows Cebuano or Tagalog or Filipino having to learn English isn't fair...  Many German words sound very much like their English counterparts!  In fact, many English words come from the German Language.  Can you say Bier?   :attention: Schnapps? :attention:   How about Burger?  Oops...  BurgerMeister...   :1 (103):  Seriously, my ex and our Post Frau (that's what she called herself) would spend hours talking to each other - yet my ex only spoke English and the Post Frau only spoke Deutsch.  Don't ask...  I still don't understand myself but they did...   :mocking:

 

Bet you can't remember that 30 minute word in German for "Home Fries"!   :mocking:

[i am bob]

"I"m just wondering how many of our American members can speak Spanish? Isn't Spanish the unofficial second language of the USA?"   No, Spanish is not an unofficial language of the USA.  Didn't know anyone in Alabama who spoke Spanish unless they came from another country.  And, the most important point is Spanish is not a required subject to be taught in USA schools.  English is required to be taught in the Philippines elementary and high schools.    "Before we complain that the kids aren't learning anything, has anyone looked to see what they are being taught?  Evidently you haven't been reading my posts concerning the school aged relatives who have been visiting me and my wife.  By testing them maybe a total of 20 times I haven't found any subject that they have much knowledge of. If you can find out what they are learning beside how to sing and dance and get ready of the next Fiesta please let me know.

 

What I meant by looking to see what was being taught, I was referring more to the criteria that the school was teaching rather than retention.  I have seen many schools were the prevailing attitude was 'I gotta be here so I"ll just sit and talk to my friends all day" rather than "I gotta be here so I might as well learn something."...  I don't blame the individuals.  It's those around them who teach them to feel this way...  Their school friends or other peer groups.  Think of the popular idea of an inner city school in Chicago or Detroit.  (It's funny but the ones that I've been to actually are better than a lot of the so-called better schools...!  Remember!  I said "popular idea"!)

 

If Spanish is not the unofficial second language in the US, why do TVs come with the SAP button?  Almost 1/3 of all American radio have some programming in Spanish?  Social services in over half of the continental USA have available services in Spanish?  Or the most perplexing question of all...   Why is Taco Bell so popular?   :rolleyes:

[Medic Mike]

 

"I"m just wondering how many of our American members can speak Spanish? Isn't Spanish the unofficial second language of the USA?"   No, Spanish is not an unofficial language of the USA.  Didn't know anyone in Alabama who spoke Spanish unless they came from another country.  And, the most important point is Spanish is not a required subject to be taught in USA schools.  English is required to be taught in the Philippines elementary and high schools.    "Before we complain that the kids aren't learning anything, has anyone looked to see what they are being taught?  Evidently you haven't been reading my posts concerning the school aged relatives who have been visiting me and my wife.  By testing them maybe a total of 20 times I haven't found any subject that they have much knowledge of. If you can find out what they are learning beside how to sing and dance and get ready of the next Fiesta please let me know.

 

What I meant by looking to see what was being taught, I was referring more to the criteria that the school was teaching rather than retention.  I have seen many schools were the prevailing attitude was 'I gotta be here so I"ll just sit and talk to my friends all day" rather than "I gotta be here so I might as well learn something."...  I don't blame the individuals.  It's those around them who teach them to feel this way...  Their school friends or other peer groups.  Think of the popular idea of an inner city school in Chicago or Detroit.  (It's funny but the ones that I've been to actually are better than a lot of the so-called better schools...!  Remember!  I said "popular idea"!)

 

If Spanish is not the unofficial second language in the US, why do TVs come with the SAP button?  Almost 1/3 of all American radio have some programming in Spanish?  Social services in over half of the continental USA have available services in Spanish?  Or the most perplexing question of all...   Why is Taco Bell so popular?   :rolleyes:

 

:hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery:  I love Taco Bell! :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery:

[Americano]

I lot of Americans like to eat in Taco Bell including myself but I never saw a Mexican eating in a Taco Bell.  America has a lot of Chinese restaurants too but doesn't mean Chinese is an unofficial language or part of our culture.  Americans just like the taste of the food.

[i am bob]

I lot of Americans like to eat in Taco Bell including myself but I never saw a Mexican eating in a Taco Bell.  America has a lot of Chinese restaurants too but doesn't mean Chinese is an unofficial language or part of our culture.  Americans just like the taste of the food.

 

If you come to Canada, you will learn that all the wonderful food that you thought was American is really, well...!  You won't see anybody with a sign or a menu saying American Burgers or Hot Dogs...  Nice cold American beer...  Nope!  Even the steaks are Canada Grade AAA beef so...  But you are welcome to try our food all you want!  We don't mind sharing...   :rolleyes:  :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery:  :mocking:

 

(To be honest, I"d rather be eating some good Filipino food in the Philippines right about now...!!!   :lol: )

[Medic Mike]

 

I lot of Americans like to eat in Taco Bell including myself but I never saw a Mexican eating in a Taco Bell.  America has a lot of Chinese restaurants too but doesn't mean Chinese is an unofficial language or part of our culture.  Americans just like the taste of the food.

 

If you come to Canada, you will learn that all the wonderful food that you thought was American is really, well...!  You won't see anybody with a sign or a menu saying American Burgers or Hot Dogs...  Nice cold American beer...  Nope!  Even the steaks are Canada Grade AAA beef so...  But you are welcome to try our food all you want!  We don't mind sharing...   :rolleyes:  :hystery:  :hystery:  :hystery:  :mocking:

 

(To be honest, I"d rather be eating some good Filipino food in the Philippines right about now...!!!   :lol: )

 

I must admit, as many years as I have been coming to the Islands, I have never liked the Filipino food.... :)