Oppression Based on First Language by Abby

Overview

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 05:20:20 UTC

How often do you think about the language you speak? Language is deeply tied to identity, culture, and power. It is one of the primary ways that we express ourselves and share our thoughts and passions with those around us. However, in the U.S. education system, students whose first language is not English often face systemic discrimination that silences native language use in the classroom. Linguistic discrimination impacts millions of students labeled as English Language Learners (ELLs) or emergent bilinguals. As of 2025, more than 5 million English learners attend U.S. public schools, yet fewer than 3% of teachers are certified to teach them.

So, why does this matter?

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 05:25:47 UTC

This issue matters because language is a core part of who we are. When schools discourage the use of home languages, they aren’t just limiting communication, but erasing identity and culture. Emergent bilingual students should be empowered to use all of their linguistic resources in the classroom, not told to leave their native languages at the door. Allowing students to speak, write, and think in their home languages as they learn English supports individual identities, builds confidence, and encourages more meaningful learning.

Key Concerns & Societal Consequences: Emmy Alvarez

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 05:59:19 UTC

Emmy Alvarez, an Honors Accounting Student at Northeastern University, discusses her personal experiences with the "wounded silence" she felt as a young bilingual student entering a monolingual English school in this presentation. Alvarez argues that the feeling of linguistic disconnect is a common and damaging experience for many English Language Learners in the U.S. education system.

Key concerns associated with oppression based on first language that relate to Alvarez's talk include:

A lack of teacher training and certification
Deficit-based mindsets
Biased assessment tools
Social stigmas

These inequities have significant societal consequences. Emergent bilingual students may experience lower academic achievement, reduced confidence, and long-term educational gaps. Without intentional support and justice-focused teaching practices, linguistic diversity will continue to be treated as a problem rather than a strength and more students will have experiences like Emmy.

Tell Me More: The History of Lau v. Nichols told by Lucinda Lee Katz

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 06:12:14 UTC

This article features an interview with Lucinda Lee Katz, the first-grade teacher of Kinney Lau. Kinney is the student at the center of the Lau v. Nichols Supreme Court case that is responsible for establishing the right of English learners to meaningful access to education. Katz played a huge role in bringing attention to this oppression by helping connect Lau’s family with legal support, and she discusses her crucial involvement throughout the podcast. This case challenged San Francisco schools for not providing appropriate language assistance, and Katz’s insightful reflections demonstrate how even after this event, language barriers in schools continue to discriminate against students today.

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 06:35:23 UTC

Classroom Connection: Part 1

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 06:45:25 UTC

This video by Edutopia explains a positive classroom approach to teaching emergent bilingual students that values and incorporates native languages into the classroom. The teacher, Mr. Tovar, encourages students to use their native languages alongside English, a practice known as translanguaging, to strengthen their speaking skills and reaffirm their identities. This diverse classroom with students from various countries and language backgrounds utilizes peer collaboration and defined student roles to encourage a supportive learning environment where risk-taking, failure, and culture are celebrated.

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 06:48:19 UTC

Classroom Connection: Part 2

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 06:52:19 UTC

This post from the Riverside Insights Blog focuses on how educators and evaluators can better assess and support emergent bilingual students. It emphasizes that bilingual children learn and process language differently, which affects how students' abilities should be evaluated during assessments. Traditional evaluation tools can fail to show a bilingual student's full linguistic knowledge, leading to an underestimation of their true skills. Instead, teachers should focus on...

Using culturally and linguistically responsive assessments that consider the student’s dominant language and background.
Avoid one-size-fits-all evaluation models.
Communicate with families to better understand students’ language environments at home.

Meet Dr. Elsa Cárdenas Hagan!

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 07:18:45 UTC

It is worth checking out the passion that Dr. Elsa Cárdenas Hagan has for supporting literacy learning by viewing her "X" account! Cárdenas is devoted to closing the gap between emergent bilingual students and teachers who lack supporting certifications by promoting different educational conferences, stories, and resources that other educators can benefit from.

Practicing Support

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 07:32:20 UTC

Being vocal about the needs of emergent bilingual students is essential when working in a classroom atmosphere. It is our job as educators to be there for our students and support them. As mentioned in the article, some ways to do this include...

Creating education programs designed to support English learners
Rethinking language use and family communication
Paying attention to the legal effects on immigrant English learners

If we choose not to be activists for our emergent bilingual students, then we allow systems of oppression to continue in our classrooms. However, by standing up for inclusive practices and equitable resources, we can create learning spaces where students feel safe and comfortable enough to use their full linguistic identities.

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:21:43 UTC

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yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:28:42 UTC

Final Thoughts

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:45:35 UTC

Exploring oppression based on first language has contributed to my understanding that language is not just a tool for communication, but also a key piece of students' identities and rights. As a future educator, I’ve learned that being passive about linguistic injustice is not an option. Advocacy must be prioritized by everyone because all students deserve to feel seen, heard, and valued in their own language. Moving forward, I am committed to creating a classroom that welcomes translanguaging, celebrates cultural diversity, and challenges systems that silence multilingual voices. Teaching for social justice means building a space where every language is seen as a strength, and every voice belongs. It means supporting students' needs without judgment, and approaching them with an abundance of love to give.

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:48:21 UTC

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Citations

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:56:55 UTC

Edutopia. (2023, June 23). Making Space for Native Languages in Newcomer Classrooms. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxJPBbC5gAw

Najarro, I. (2024, April 9). Experts’ Top Policy Priorities for English-Learner Education. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/experts-top-policy-priorities-for-english-learner-education/2024/04

Riverside Insights. (2024). Addressing the Unique Needs of Emergent Bilinguals: Part 1. Riversideinsights.com. https://blog.riversideinsights.com/assessing-emergent-bilinguals-1

Stavely, Z. (2024, March 15). Q&A: How the 50-year-old case that transformed English learner education began. EdSource. https://edsource.org/2024/qa-how-the-50-year-old-case-that-transformed-english-learner-education-began/707631

TEDxTalks. (2023, March 15). Bilingual Education Bridging Wounded Silence | Emmy Alvarez | TEDxYouth@CherryCreek. Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19tEtc_vSqQ

yorkabi05_1 — 2025-05-08 08:58:45 UTC