Nelson Mandela and The Afrikan Languages - 1041 Words

â€Å"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.† This quote was once said by the late, great South African leader, Nelson Mandela. He learned the Afrikaans language while he was in prison in order to communicate with the white Afrikaner guards. Mandela was imprisoned for standing up against the apartheid government that was committing human rights violations against black South Africans. Fellow prisoners were deeply offended when they heard Mandela speaking the language of their oppressors, but in Mandelas mind, Afrikaners are still Africans, he believes that they are still people of his country, and he really wanted to understand them. Learning†¦show more content†¦Even though he was a big supporter of the bilingual program, he had some doubts. In an article he wrote titled â€Å" English Immersion Has Led to Higher Test Scores†, he states, â€Å"As a former bili ngual teacher, administrator, and co-founder of the California Association of Bilingual Educators, I had come to believe that many students remained too long in classes conducted in Spanish, and that, as a result, they lost ground in the development of their English language skills. I believe that this creates a learning gap that is seldom closed† (Noonan). A students English development is delayed when little to no English is used in class, this is the problem of having to use the native language primarily. A year after Proposition 227 was passed, brought dramatic academic gains. Students in the English Immersion programs learned to read, speak, and write English much faster. Scores on state tests, which were administered in English were higher, compared to the scores back when they were still taught using their first language. All of these results happened in just a short span of time. These results solidified the authors stand that English immersion is better than the Bil ingual program. Linda Chavez, the President of the Center for Equality, also believes that the Bilingual program is not an effective way of teaching English learners. She also said that, based on studies and conductedShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of South Africa1714 Words   |  7 Pagescame from labor . The Land Act of 1913, was believed to be the initial beginning of the apartheid laws. This act initiated by white supremacists marked the first major downfall of segregation for the colored and Indian peoples of South Africa. The Afrikans were essentially â€Å"divided into nine nations† and approximately 93% of the land was reserved for the white people. 2/3 of the population of South Africa at the time was considered African, or native people, and these people were all banned from â€Å"freely