Talking Points on Collier's "Teaching Multilingual Children"

First off, Collier is definately a tougher writer to understand in comparison to that of Kozol, McIntosh, Delpit and Johnson. However, like that of Delpit, Collier definatley uses the value of repetition in getting her point across without any possible confusion.
1. I for one strongly agree with her stance on the value of reflecting teaching literacy with an "caregiver feel". Her notations about the value and overall effectivness of "the caregiver" are undeniable. I think this is a top priority to discuss in class because I feel as though it is definately bound to stir up a few different points of view.
2. I feel as though she begs the question of: multilingual children? On page 227 she argues that educators should NOT focus on trying to "rid" the child of their first and original language. It is undeniable that endless teachers across the globe continue to try and write English over children whose first language is Spanish, Italian, and even French. I know for a fact that a family member of mine, my uncle, works in a Central Falls school where a co-worker of his was trying desperately for years to rid his students of thier Spanish-speaking origins. Not only is it added stress, but it can be looked at as an overall waste of time. If they speak it at home there is no denying them the right to speak it at school.
3. Thirdly, I find that Collier's argument concerning the fact that "reading and writing" for ANY culture is a necessity, regardless of the language spoken. Literate children of any language or dialect is extremely important. Being able to read and write is an extremely overlooked yet nontheless important aspect of keeping children involved in education. Regardless of whether or not the child speaks English, keeping them ontop of reading, writing and comprehending what is in front of them is extremely important in determining their future.