Hi Marissa! I was unaware that you had lived in the Valley and I find it interesting that although you were immersed in the Spanish language, you still struggled to learn it. I don't think it's uncommon though because my younger brother is also like you in that sense. We both grew up in a Spanish speaking household but for some reason he is only able to speak English. I attribute that to the fact that my older brother and myself were speaking English around him, more so than Spanish. I also understand your frustration with having taken Spanish classes in high school and then almost immediately forgetting all the progress you had made in acquiring a second language. Ortega states that although adults have a better chance of learning L2 faster than younger children it only lasts for short-term unlike younger children who might take longer to learn but will learn the language for long-term (2013, pg. 24).
Hi Jessica! It is nice to know that I am not the only one that didn’t learn Spanish while being surrounded by Spanish speakers! Although I’m sure both your brother and I wish we could have picked up the language I feel as though Ortega might explain the situation in her textbook. She states, “And as children grow older and their life circumstances diversify, different adolescents and adults will embark on very different kinds of literacy practice and use language for widely differing needs, to the point that neat landmarks of acquisition cannot be demarcated any more” (Ortega, p. 4). This may explain why you and your brother have different language capabilities while being raised in the same household.
Hi Marissa! Also like Jessica, I have a younger brother that never learned Spanish fluently. I think it is a common thing among children that come from Spanish speaking parents born in the United States, at least in my experience. My older brother and I both learned Spanish before the age of six. According to Ortega, "Children acquiring their first language complete the feat within a biological window of four to six years of age" (p. 12). This is why I believe that it was difficult for my brother to learn Spanish. Before the age of six, he was around my brother and I and we were fluent in Spanish and English but spoke English more around him. According to Ortega, that is the age which is most optimal to learn a first language. In my case, it was the age we learned both languages so it has stuck with me until now since I am constantly practicing it at home. Even though you are not fluent in Spanish, being able to understand it is still a great skill!
Ortega, L. Understanding Second Language Acquisition. New York: Routledge; 2013.
Joselyn, I had a similar experience in my family with my brother. My older brother and I are 2 years apart and our first language was Spanish and we learned English in school and through the tv shows that we watched. My little brother, on the other hand, is 6 years younger than I and he grew up with his L1 being Spanish as well, because of my parents and grandparents, but around my older brother and I he primarily spoke English and it became harder for him to speak Spanish especially when he started going to school because he heard only English at school and at home he talked to us and my parents understand English more than what they can speak it so when he couldn't figure out how to say certain things in Spanish he spoke to them in English. His Spanish was very broken, growing up, until he spent a summer visiting family in Mexico and he had no other choice than to speak Spanish and it improved very much since then.
Hi Joselyn! I agree that speaking Spanish is a great skill to have. You are very lucky you were able to pick it up while you were still in the window to fluently learn it. As you referenced in your comment, Ortega states that children who pick up a language fluently do it between the ages of 4 and 6 (p. 12). I agree with you that me and yours and Jessica’s brothers did not pick up the second language because English speakers surrounded us during the ages of 4 and 6. Although my parents spoke Spanish they did not speak it enough during those ages for me to pick it up fluently, unfortunately. Hopefully I am able to learn it in the future!
Hi Marissa! I find it interesting that even though you were surrounded by Spanish speakers you didn't learn it. Although you are not the first person who I have heard can understand the language but not fluently speak it. Like you they grew up surrounded by the language but never really spoke it to anyone. Ortega mentions how "instructed learners learn additional languages through formal study in school" (2013, pg. 6). Since you have taken Spanish classes and even used language apps I would think that the vocabulary is there you just need to use it. I would imagine it may feel weird for you in the beginning since you are not used to speaking the language with others but it will help you. My sister forgot her Spanish when she started Pre-K and over time with Spanish classes and shows she recovered it. At first she didn't feel comfortable speaking it with family because the rest of us were fluent but now she can hold a long conversation. It just takes time and practice. As you speak Spanish the language will come more naturally and you will pick up on new vocabulary. Even then the fact that you can understand it is a bonus in helping you speak the language.
Alessandra,I can definitely relate to your younger sister's experience, because my little brother went through a very similar experience. While we both grew up in a predominately Spanish speaking household, his Spanish was extremely limited due to the fact that my older brother and I would speak to him in English. Then upon entering an all English school, what was left of his native language seem to vanish completely. It was through instruction from my parents and family members that my brother began to speak Spanish after a while. So in referencing Ortega (2013) my brother first began to acquire Spanish through a naturalistic format, but due to the English being spoken to him more often by his older siblings, he later was formally instructed by my parents. He slowly regained his previous knowledge of the Spanish language and feels a bit more comfortable speaking it , although he still struggles with it. So just like Marissa, even though he was surrounded by Spanish he was unable to pick it up because as he explains it, "English just seems easier for him to learn".
Hi Alessandra! I definitely understand where you are coming from. I think the fact that I can understand Spanish really does show that I may know a lot more than I think I do. Like you said I also believe if I were to get formal instruction in the language I would be able to pick it up a lot easier, especially now that I am willing to put in the effort and learn. I also think being in a Spanish speaking environment would also greatly help me learn. Ortega states, “Most people, therefore, learn additional languages from a mixture of both naturalistic and instructed experiences” (p. 6). I think if I were to be surrounded by Spanish speakers while also getting instructional classes, my Spanish abilities would fly a lot higher!
Hi Marissa! I was unaware that you had lived in the Valley and I find it interesting that although you were immersed in the Spanish language, you still struggled to learn it. I don't think it's uncommon though because my younger brother is also like you in that sense. We both grew up in a Spanish speaking household but for some reason he is only able to speak English. I attribute that to the fact that my older brother and myself were speaking English around him, more so than Spanish. I also understand your frustration with having taken Spanish classes in high school and then almost immediately forgetting all the progress you had made in acquiring a second language. Ortega states that although adults have a better chance of learning L2 faster than younger children it only lasts for short-term unlike younger children who might take longer to learn but will learn the language for long-term (2013, pg. 24).
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica! It is nice to know that I am not the only one that didn’t learn Spanish while being surrounded by Spanish speakers! Although I’m sure both your brother and I wish we could have picked up the language I feel as though Ortega might explain the situation in her textbook. She states, “And as children grow older and their life circumstances diversify, different adolescents and adults will embark on very different kinds of literacy practice and use language for widely differing needs, to the point that neat landmarks of acquisition cannot be demarcated any more” (Ortega, p. 4). This may explain why you and your brother have different language capabilities while being raised in the same household.
DeleteHi Marissa!
ReplyDeleteAlso like Jessica, I have a younger brother that never learned Spanish fluently. I think it is a common thing among children that come from Spanish speaking parents born in the United States, at least in my experience. My older brother and I both learned Spanish before the age of six. According to Ortega, "Children acquiring their first language complete the feat within a biological window of four to six years of age" (p. 12). This is why I believe that it was difficult for my brother to learn Spanish. Before the age of six, he was around my brother and I and we were fluent in Spanish and English but spoke English more around him. According to Ortega, that is the age which is most optimal to learn a first language. In my case, it was the age we learned both languages so it has stuck with me until now since I am constantly practicing it at home. Even though you are not fluent in Spanish, being able to understand it is still a great skill!
Ortega, L. Understanding Second Language Acquisition. New York: Routledge; 2013.
Joselyn, I had a similar experience in my family with my brother. My older brother and I are 2 years apart and our first language was Spanish and we learned English in school and through the tv shows that we watched. My little brother, on the other hand, is 6 years younger than I and he grew up with his L1 being Spanish as well, because of my parents and grandparents, but around my older brother and I he primarily spoke English and it became harder for him to speak Spanish especially when he started going to school because he heard only English at school and at home he talked to us and my parents understand English more than what they can speak it so when he couldn't figure out how to say certain things in Spanish he spoke to them in English. His Spanish was very broken, growing up, until he spent a summer visiting family in Mexico and he had no other choice than to speak Spanish and it improved very much since then.
DeleteHi Joselyn! I agree that speaking Spanish is a great skill to have. You are very lucky you were able to pick it up while you were still in the window to fluently learn it. As you referenced in your comment, Ortega states that children who pick up a language fluently do it between the ages of 4 and 6 (p. 12). I agree with you that me and yours and Jessica’s brothers did not pick up the second language because English speakers surrounded us during the ages of 4 and 6. Although my parents spoke Spanish they did not speak it enough during those ages for me to pick it up fluently, unfortunately. Hopefully I am able to learn it in the future!
DeleteHi Marissa! I find it interesting that even though you were surrounded by Spanish speakers you didn't learn it. Although you are not the first person who I have heard can understand the language but not fluently speak it. Like you they grew up surrounded by the language but never really spoke it to anyone. Ortega mentions how "instructed learners learn additional languages through formal study in school" (2013, pg. 6). Since you have taken Spanish classes and even used language apps I would think that the vocabulary is there you just need to use it. I would imagine it may feel weird for you in the beginning since you are not used to speaking the language with others but it will help you. My sister forgot her Spanish when she started Pre-K and over time with Spanish classes and shows she recovered it. At first she didn't feel comfortable speaking it with family because the rest of us were fluent but now she can hold a long conversation. It just takes time and practice. As you speak Spanish the language will come more naturally and you will pick up on new vocabulary. Even then the fact that you can understand it is a bonus in helping you speak the language.
ReplyDeleteAlessandra,I can definitely relate to your younger sister's experience, because my little brother went through a very similar experience. While we both grew up in a predominately Spanish speaking household, his Spanish was extremely limited due to the fact that my older brother and I would speak to him in English. Then upon entering an all English school, what was left of his native language seem to vanish completely. It was through instruction from my parents and family members that my brother began to speak Spanish after a while. So in referencing Ortega (2013) my brother first began to acquire Spanish through a naturalistic format, but due to the English being spoken to him more often by his older siblings, he later was formally instructed by my parents. He slowly regained his previous knowledge of the Spanish language and feels a bit more comfortable speaking it , although he still struggles with it. So just like Marissa, even though he was surrounded by Spanish he was unable to pick it up because as he explains it, "English just seems easier for him to learn".
DeleteHi Alessandra! I definitely understand where you are coming from. I think the fact that I can understand Spanish really does show that I may know a lot more than I think I do. Like you said I also believe if I were to get formal instruction in the language I would be able to pick it up a lot easier, especially now that I am willing to put in the effort and learn. I also think being in a Spanish speaking environment would also greatly help me learn. Ortega states, “Most people, therefore, learn additional languages from a mixture of both naturalistic and instructed experiences” (p. 6). I think if I were to be surrounded by Spanish speakers while also getting instructional classes, my Spanish abilities would fly a lot higher!
Delete