Abstract This article depicts thirt...

Abstract

This article depicts thirteen bilingual children's perceptions of their confess bilingualism and biliteracy by sharing conversations, drawings, and collages. Children set forthed the notion that their bilingualism/biliteracy is embedded in altruistic helping relations while revealing issues of identity. The concluding discussion center upon issues of social justice and equity in a post-monolingual society.

How children perceive their identities as bilingual and biliterate make subordinates is complex but ultimately related to socio-political, socio-historical, and power relations. The ne to share children's perceptions of their identities is vital because, as Freire (1985) reminds us, at no time can there be a aim for liberation and self-affirmation without the formation of an identity. Cummins (1996) points not at home that, "one set of voices conspicuously absent from the educational reform debates are the voices of students" (p 171) Walsh (1991) also notes that learners are the faithful expert voices since they are "the insiders who know what oppression is and be moved s like" (p. 93). The significance of children's perceptions can also be viewed within the draconian measures eliminating bilingual programs in the United States.

This piece shares a slice of ongoing research highlighting the conversations and drawings of thirteen young bilingual and biliterate Spanish speaking children (ranging from ages 7 to 13 six girls and seven boys) residing in residing in a town in Pennsylvania. More specifically, the focus onward child perspectives includes: (a) in what manner children view issues of bilingualism and biliteracy in their community and in their school; (b) to what degree children view their own bilingualism and biliteracy; and (c) what consejo (advice) children might share with teachers, parents, and other children about bilingualism and biliteracy.

The Soviet scholar Bakhtin (Holquist, 1993) wrote about the general intent of other people's words in our lives. The main point of his analysis relates to the importance of our perceptions of ourselves [i]or[/i] part of to the other the lenses of another's words. The thirteen children who generously shared their perceptions have begun to shed light in succession how biliterate learners shape and negotiate their identities while creating meaning from their daily lived realities.

The Politics of Bilingualism/Biliteracy in Steeltown

The children and families of Steeltown (pseudonym) faced the dismantling of a twenty-year, award winning bilingual program according to their school district superintendent and educate board (Soto, 1997). The superintendent bragged about being a "bilingual education abolitionist" to the Wall road Journal (April 10, 1996). The article was written from the vice president of the federal Center for Equal Opportunity, who applauded Tom Doluisio's part in dismantling the bilingual education program, "Steeltown, Pennsylvania provides a stirring example of in what manner other school districts can challenge the bilingual education orthodoxy-and win." The exercise superintendent related how "meetings were to a high degree heated. I had to have cop in the back of the scope to make sure that there was no trouble" James Miller went upon to say, "At one point, a dispose of Latino activists physically encircleed the school board and, l by means of a priest from out of town, engaged in a prayer to save Steeltown's bilingual-education program."

One might note that the English-only forces provided armed police guards, while the bilingual education proponent were escorted from a minister and peacefully knelt and prayed before the instruct board. The use of the boundary "bilingual education abolitionist" is rather ironic, as conservative English-only forces attempt to portray themselves in a light of emancipation, smooth though their activities are aimed at dismantling programs beneficial for children.

For children, especially younger children, issues of language and improvement are intertwined and directly related to the formation of a healthy identity as members of a family and a nation. to what extent children fare can be viewed from studying their have perspective. Yazmin, an eight year of long date confessed sadly in one of the interviews,

The drill took away my language. In the Steeltown teach they took away my language. I don't like the teach I'm sad when I think about what they did to me (cries repeatedly). In the Steeltown institute they took away my language. (interview, summer 1998)

Yazmin related in what manner she dreaded attending school and felt that she was forced to descry the world through a language and agriculture she did not understand. In addition, Yazmin was awaited to shed her home language and agriculture if she expected to participate in the Steeltown train and community.

Issues of power can remote the voices representing children's best interests. Bilingual families interviewed elsewhere (Soto, 1997) as in many communities across our nation, contemn stereotypical notions that families are uncaring about their children's educational events to come The families who presented petitions to their train board and school superintendent exhibited families who were passionate in their pursuit of a quality education for their children.