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Karen Leung's ted talk highlights how her ELL speaking parents faced discrimination about speaking Cantonese as their first language. I like how she talked about the misconception of that when ELL speakers use grammatically incorrect (while still understandable) sentences is seen as a deficiency, when in reality, it is a sign of the brain's intelligence and is very good for the brain since it can prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's. I often tell my partner (his first language is Arabic) that he should be proud of his English proficiency and how advanced it is, considering that he learned it from watching movies and television. Learning to speak and write in English is difficult even for native speakers, so when you already speak another language and can speak English even with grammar errors, it is incredibly impressive. I pass this message along to not only my partner but also his roommates (they are all from Jordan) and remind them of this often, because they have faced linguistic discrimination as newcomers to Canada. I remind them of how impressive they all are!

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What's So American About Multilingualism?

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What's So American About Multilingualism?

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Karen Leung through through the story of her multilingual experience advocates for those who can speak multiple languages. She details how it actually shows intelligence and benefits people, and yet people are criticized for not speaking English "properly" or "American enough". Leung disputes this and emphasizes that it's more important what you are saying than how you are saying it. -Hannah

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Incredible linguistic ability to pair English words with Cantonese structure

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Incredible linguistic ability to pair English words with Cantonese structure

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My headline differs from what I said yesterday. I viewed my 'broken' English as an insufficient linguistic development and shameful when I cannot speak 'proper' English. The way Karen L. reinterpreted the 'broken' English is amazing and comforted me. As I work at the public school, I have often been criticized by others for not being grammatically correct all the time or because of my accents. It happens in writing as well. There is no grammar error, but the sentence expression is not a natural way to write in English. Interestingly, how people embrace multilingualism affects my personal relationships as well. My self-esteem has lowered since I immigrated to Canada. With the headline, I think I can slowly shift my linguistic bias on me towards acceptance and spread this amazing linguistic ability perspective to other ELLs. -Hia

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I can relate to Karen so much as English is my third language. I’ve always been subject to accent discrimination. I used to work in a call center and people used to say I have a strong accent, some would be rude and would say “I should speak proper English” or request to be transferred to a Canadian person. It’s really upsetting when you’re an immigrant and working hard. As a Somali-Canadian, I embrace my accent now! Very proud of it. -Ammira

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My headline does not differ from what I would have said yesterday. We should acknowledge and break down preconceived notions and prejudices, particularly within the educational system. Personally, I grew up speaking English and never had to think about learning other languages as much other than learning it in schools. However, the TED talk emphasizes the significance of appreciating diversity, showing respect for all languages, and recognizing the challenges non-English speakers may encounter.

- Madison Ladd

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My headline does not differ from what I would have said yesterday. Immigration stereotypes and double standards must be addressed. By actually listening to the other person and realizing the true importance of being bilingual and how it benefits society -Fatima

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"Does my proficiency in one language really define my intelligence?" 

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"Does my proficiency in one language really define my intelligence?" 

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I found this sentiment really powerful. I believe it gets to the core of what leads to a lot of discrimination: the harm that assumptions can cause. When we assume that just because someone's English is "broken", that they are not intelligent, we miss out on the truth, and we also miss out on the valuable contributions that those people could make to our lives, to our schools, and to our communities.
Sarah Rose

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Karen's talk resonated with me on a very personal level given the fact that I also come from a Cantonese/Mandarin background and have been able to directly relate with a lot of the experiences she's shared. My mom in the same ways Karen's mom is, is not fluent in English and would often phrase English sentences using Chinese sentence structures. When I was growing up, my mom would feel a lot of shame and often apologize for her "broken English", when in actuality she should have been able to openly embrace her multi linguistic abilities in being able to speak four different languages.  Karen's talk oddly enough reminded me of a particular scene that has always resonated with me, from the TV show Modern Family, where the character Gloria, whose first language is Spanish says, "Do you know how hard it is to translate everything in my head before I say it?... Do you even know how smart I am in Spanish?" There needs to be more recognition and understanding of the strifes people go through bending over backwards to fit this mold, when in fact it should be society creating a more inclusive space that celebrates diversity and embraces multilingualism.
- Grace

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Incorrect grammatical structure does NOT equal unintelligent 

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Incorrect grammatical structure does NOT equal unintelligent 

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I really appreciated what Karen had to say in her TED talk and I resonated with her experiences. In Korean, the sounds "f" and "r" do not exist in the alphabet so my parents also pronounce my brothers name "Brent" as "Blent" much like how Karen's parents say her and her siblings names. The Korean grammatical structure is also different than English, so when they speak it is the direct translation of how it would be said in Korean. Growing up I began to understand the concept of linguistic bias because my parents would ask my brother or myself to speak on behalf of them in certain situations because they thought they would not be understood, when in actuality, they are intelligent and have a great understanding of BOTH languages. As educators we have to praise our students for making the connections between their mother tongue and English and not label it as being "wrong". Their English is not "broken", the way we view it is! -Lynnette C.

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"Does my proficiency in one language really define my intelligence? What about the fact that I speak two?"

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"Does my proficiency in one language really define my intelligence? What about the fact that I speak two?"

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I liked this line because it highlights the hierarchy we place languages into. In anglo-Canada many people are judged harshly based off their english, yet every other language they know (and every other skill they have) is not judged. As a mono-lingual I am immune from this, and can easily be blind to it. I need to make sure that I am not so that I can fully support my students.
Deirdre

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Why do we place such "value" on  english language learner's not speaking "broken" english? How can we dismantle this white supremacist ideology. -Laura

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Why do we place such "value" on  english language learner's not speaking "broken" english? How can we dismantle this white supremacist ideology. -Laura

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"If we can learn to value the different expressions through art, I know that we can come to embrace diversity and the different expressions in all languages and dialects."

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"If we can learn to value the different expressions through art, I know that we can come to embrace diversity and the different expressions in all languages and dialects."

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The positive impacts of learning new languages are well-proven through research. As teachers, it is important that we embrace the different languages that our students bring with them to school, because retaining their mother tongue while learning English actually does wonders for their literacy skills. - Cindy

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My headline does not differ from what I said yesterday. Accept that there are differences in language expression and that imperfect English grammar or pronunciation can convey perfect English meaning. Promote greater understanding, empathy, and tolerance in language communication. Embrace multilingualism and eliminate linguistic bias.

Siming

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"What We Say is Far More Important than How We Say it"

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"What We Say is Far More Important than How We Say it"

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I really enjoyed Karen's Ted Talk. She calls her audience to take inclusive action and understand how incredibly intelligent multilingual brains are. -Caitlin

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What we say is far more important than how we say it

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What we say is far more important than how we say it

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My headline does not differ from what I would say previously. Victor

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"America does not have an official language.  So why do so many people think there is?" asks Karen Leung, in a TED Talk that dismantles "speaking American" and champions multilingualism  

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"America does not have an official language.  So why do so many people think there is?" asks Karen Leung, in a TED Talk that dismantles "speaking American" and champions multilingualism  

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Will Koziey

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Karen Leung made so many evocative points about language discrimination in her TED Talk. She asks us to analyze why a native-English speaker is praised when they attempt to learn another language, and why the English Language Learner or someone fluent in English with an accent receives social shame. She discusses the derogatory term "broken English"; asking us to question why the deep understanding and synthesis of multiple languages (in this case Cantonese and English) is perceived as less-than. An old prof of mine once said that you cannot begin to understand your mother language until you know other languages-- I believe there are infinite learning opportunities when our minds are expanded with multiple languages and communication. -Alex

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My headline does not differ from what I said yesterday. It strikes upon the inherent racial bias people take when they see someone of a different race. Their immediate assumption is that they are going to have an accent from their home country. Society needs to break these racial troupes, and start accepting that English speakers from different races are not always going to have an accent. -David

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Addressing the Double Standard: Leung compares the stereotypes perpetuated about Newcomers learning English and Native English speakers

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Addressing the Double Standard: Leung compares the stereotypes perpetuated about Newcomers learning English and Native English speakers

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In her TedTalk, Karen Leung dispels the misconception that the United States of America has an official language, and further, that said official language is English. Most significantly, Leung calls attention to the harmful discrimination done to immigrant families in the form of "broken English" stereotypes misrepresenting newcomers as unintelligent. Likewise, Leung asks the audience why is it that a newcomer navigating a second language is shamed when native English speakers learning English as their primary language are praised?
She asks, “Does my proficiency in one language really define my intelligence and what about the fact that I can speak two?”
Leung calls upon the audience to support efforts in embracing diversity in all language and dialects.

- Syrena Bienko

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My headline does not differ from what I would have said yesterday. However, Karen Leung’s presentation offered a perspective that enhanced my understanding of language learning and linguistic appreciation. Leung really emphasized the idea that not enough students or educators alike appreciate just how much strength it takes to be multilingual. The idea that Leung’s parents can incorporate English vocabulary with Cantonese sentence structure is so powerful and inspiring, yet they are labelled as “unintelligent”. Leung’s parents are speaking not one, but two (or more) languages, yet people consider their linguistic abilities as “broken”. This is such a discouraging and disappointing perspective. As an educator, we must not only encourage our students who are learning in another language, we must appreciate the knowledge and experience that they bring to our classrooms. - Alexandra (Lexi) Cimbura

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Recognizing Biases with Multilingual Learners  

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Recognizing Biases with Multilingual Learners  

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My headline does not differ from what I would communicate yesterday. Providing recognition around the bias and assumptions of how a multilingual learner comprehends multiple languages is a powerful place to start. To discuss that to learn and understand more than one language is a difficult task and to be able to to do this is a great accomplishment. Recognizing that if one person speaks a language not the same way as another person, does not mean that one person is less intelligent than then the other. - Kate

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Assimilation: Stripping Mind, Heart, and Soul

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Assimilation: Stripping Mind, Heart, and Soul

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My heading does not differ from what I said earlier. Powerful groups made others use their language through things like taking over their lands, and this has affected how we see language today.
Sadaf

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Eliminating Multilingual Preconceptions - The Fight Against Linguistic Biases

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Eliminating Multilingual Preconceptions - The Fight Against Linguistic Biases

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My headline does not differ from what I would have said yesterday. Preconceptions and biases need to be recognized and dismantled in any organization/institution, especially within the education system. Society as a whole needs to do better at embracing multiculturalism and diverse linguistics that exist around us. Its time to reconsider our thoughts, opinions, and, words when it comes to multilingual learners. How can we take action to create a better and more inclusive society? How can we become better with communicating and listening to better understand the messages that are being conveyed to us?
-Sahar

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Celebrating Multilingualism and Breaking Down Language Prejudices

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Celebrating Multilingualism and Breaking Down Language Prejudices

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My headline would not differ from what I would have said yesterday. Being multilingual is a valuable skill, yet immigrants frequently encounter criticism for not having English as their primary language, rather than receiving credit for their language proficiency. Personally, I'm fluent in four languages and can effortlessly transition between them, with Bengali as my mother tongue. I pose a question to native English speakers: can you do the same? Azmeri

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My headline does not differ from what I said yesterday. Stereotypes are racial beliefs that can lead to harassment and discrimination that can greatly impact an individual in a very negative way.
-Anna

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I speak with an accent: What is the big deal?

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I speak with an accent: What is the big deal?

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My headline does not differ from what I said yesterday. I can relate to Karen in many ways. English is actually my fourth language. Hakka, Cantonese, and Mandarin are my other languages. When I came to Canada for high school I was labelled as ELL, and it has stayed with me ever since. Although I knew at the time that I could never shake off my foreign accent, I did make a conscious effort to sound more like a native speaker because I wanted to avoid standing out or being teased. But honestly, it's tiring and challenging to constantly adjust and keep track of my accent. That being said, I am still lucky to have some English proficiency through education compared to my parents. Neither of my parents speak English, and I remember people often looking at them with disdain and treating them as if they were "aliens."  Even some second-generation immigrants with similar ethnocultural backgrounds sometimes try to differentiate and distance themselves from those who resemble their first-generation immigrant parents. It is kind of sad but I guess they want to be seen as "true" Canadians or more intelligent than first-generation immigrants. If people really want to embrace multilingualism, it's not enough to just be tolerant or feel pressure to be "welcoming" or “friendly”. We should invest effort and time in building meaningful connections with people who look and speak differently than us, and in learning about their cultures and stories. Now, the "ELL" label doesn't bother me anymore. In fact, it shows that I have a unique ability to understand and bridge two different worlds. 就好似依家我打粵語中文你睇唔明 哈哈. So what’s the big deal when you hear me speaking with an accent?  - Lucas Y. Zhang

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Broken English ≠ Unintelligent: What We Have To Say Is More Important Than How We Say It 

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Broken English ≠ Unintelligent: What We Have To Say Is More Important Than How We Say It 

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My headline does not differ from what I would have said yesterday - growing up with parents who are non-native English speakers opened my eyes to the concept of linguistic bias from an early age.

- Shania

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Embracing Multilingualism and Eradicating Linguistic Bias

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Embracing Multilingualism and Eradicating Linguistic Bias

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Embracing Multilingualism and Eradicating Linguistic Bias | Karen Leung | TEDxWWU