Months prior to her death, Garcia filed a police report explaining to the authorities that she feared for her life; and months later she would make a similar phone call. She reiterated details about her violent home life in her native Spanish, but because the domestic-incident report was never translated to English it was overlooked.
“Just sound it out” is a strategy that’s been long employed in the United States when coaching children in elementary education through reading sessions. However, this process does not translate to Spanish. Stanford University produced a new study that suggests that learning to read words in English isn’t the same as how Spanish-speakers learn to read words in Spanish, particularly in Mexico.
A strong command of the English language and the ability to easily converse with non-Latinos leads to improved self-esteem and a boost in the academic performance of young Latinos. The garnered social skills grants access to information and resources that enables self-promotion, which can lead to upward social and economic mobility, says recent study.
The language barriers that Spanish-speaking Latino immigrants face whenever they enter a school hospital or courtroom, particularly in the South, is concerning. Very often, there are no interpreters present to answer questions or to respond when these individuals need to communicate with a teacher, a doctor or a judge, leaving them vulnerable and at the mercy of those individuals with whom they need to communicate. Nonetheless, things may be changing in one small city in Chatham County, Georgia.
