RJA2

RJA2a


I will write about multilingualism and multilingual education in America.  This topic is something that I have some personal opinions regarding, and thus figured it would be worth exploring more in depth.  I think that it is an issue that most are not particularly swayed by one way or the other, and so in presenting it to others, it might make for a good discussion.

America is one of only a few industrialized nations of the modern world who are primarily monolingual, Russia, Japan, and Brazil being a couple of the others.  There are major differences between America and the rest of that class, though, in terms of how the problem is treated, and whether it is regarded even as a problem.  Japan mandates English study from middle school, and many young Russians can speak English very well.  America, on the other hand, does not mandate any language study, and the levels of multi-linguistic proficiency among the youth do no compare to those of Russia, presumably for that reason.  What is America doing wrong, or "wrong," in this arena, and would our monolingualism have adverse effects on our standing in the world with, say, a rising multilingual China.

What is the current status of any proposed legislation to improve multilingualism in America IF there is any?  If there is none, what else could be done about the matter?  What are other countries doing to increase their numbers of multilingual people?


RJA2b

Using mostly Wikipedia, I have found information on a few different facets of my topic.  I found information on people in America who adamantly oppose multilingual education, citing Theodore Roosevelt as motivation.  Also, I have found information on other countries and their multilingual endeavors, namely our neighbor Canada, where both English and French are official and equal under the law, and Belgium, where such movements like the ones going on here to combat multilingual education are banned, and all languages are accepted.


RJA2c


Positive Arguments

• There are too many languages in the world to only speak one.
• We should be able to communicate with other nations.  We live in an increasingly global economy.
• China and most of Europe mandate multilingual education...why don't we?
• Multilingualism is good for the mind and is correlated to better grades.

Negative Arguments

• We don't really NEED to learn other languages.  Others come here and learn ours.
• What's the need?  America is the world superpower.  Multilingualism didn't help us get here.
• To promoting multilingual education is to promote disimilation within American society. 

RJA 1

1. language education reform in America
1. Is the topic academic or scholarly? Yes
2. Could a research question about this topic be positive? Yes
3. Do you think the answer to your research question can be adequately answered and supported in 3900 words? Yes
4. Do you think you can find at least twelve credible sources--including one book, one reference work, one article from a peer-reviewed journal, one electronic source (not including the book or periodical article if they were obtained online), and one source from original field (or primary) research--on this topic? Yes
5. Do you already know a lot about this topic? Yes
6. Have you already formed an opinion about this topic? No
7. Have you used this topic before for a research paper? No
2. the U.S. and the Kyoto Protocol
1. Is the topic academic or scholarly? Yes
   
2. Could a research question about this topic be positive? Yes
   
3. Do you think the answer to your research question can be adequately answered and supported in 3900 words? Yes
   
4. Do you think you can find at least twelve credible sources--including one book, one reference work, one article from a peer-reviewed journal, one electronic source (not including the book or periodical article if they were obtained online), and one source from original field (or primary) research--on this topic? Yes
   
5. Do you already know a lot about this topic? Yes
   
6. Have you already formed an opinion about this topic? No
   
7. Have you used this topic before for a research paper? No
3. literacy in America
1. Is the topic academic or scholarly? Yes
   
2. Could a research question about this topic be positive? Yes
   
3. Do you think the answer to your research question can be adequately answered and supported in 3900 words? Yes
   
4. Do you think you can find at least twelve credible sources--including one book, one reference work, one article from a peer-reviewed journal, one electronic source (not including the book or periodical article if they were obtained online), and one source from original field (or primary) research--on this topic? Yes
   
5. Do you already know a lot about this topic? Yes
   
6. Have you already formed an opinion about this topic? No
   
7. Have you used this topic before for a research paper? No
4. legalization of marijuana
1. Is the topic academic or scholarly? Yes
   
2. Could a research question about this topic be positive? Yes
   
3. Do you think the answer to your research question can be adequately answered and supported in 3900 words? Yes
   
4. Do you think you can find at least twelve credible sources--including one book, one reference work, one article from a peer-reviewed journal, one electronic source (not including the book or periodical article if they were obtained online), and one source from original field (or primary) research--on this topic? Yes
   
5. Do you already know a lot about this topic? Yes
   
6. Have you already formed an opinion about this topic? No
   
7. Have you used this topic before for a research paper? No
5. censorship and pornography
1. Is the topic academic or scholarly? Yes
   
2. Could a research question about this topic be positive? Yes
   
3. Do you think the answer to your research question can be adequately answered and supported in 3900 words? Yes
   
4. Do you think you can find at least twelve credible sources--including one book, one reference work, one article from a peer-reviewed journal, one electronic source (not including the book or periodical article if they were obtained online), and one source from original field (or primary) research--on this topic? Yes
   
5. Do you already know a lot about this topic? Yes
   
6. Have you already formed an opinion about this topic? No
   
7. Have you used this topic before for a research paper? No