Speech about English in schools lacked depth and validity

THERE is no doubt that there are problems in English primary education (Tom Richmond, Yorkshire Post, July 9), but Kris Hopkins’ typically Anglo-centric diagnosis is that a lack of English as a first language is one of the problems. Would he even consider making that suggestion in Wales, where English is a second language for a large slice of the population?

In much of the world, people are bi, tri or even multi-lingual; they may not be particularly “literate” in any of them, but they can communicate effectively in several languages. I wouldn’t mind betting that many of the “Asian” kids in Keighley can switch between two or three Asian languages as well as speaking English.

An earlier wave of migrants provides evidence that language is not really the issue; the Ukrainians who came to Bradford protected their customs and culture very strongly; they proved to be among the highest academic achievers.

Speaking more than one language is actually an advantage because languages are tools for thinking, as well as communicating. Being able to think in different ways is clearly advantageous.

Attempts to impose a dominant language have generally had negative effects, especially when they devalued the minority language or dialect. There are plenty of apocryphal tales about Yorkshire school children, in the past, being very upset about being told to “speak properly”. We are defined by our culture, and our language is part of that culture.

Kris Hopkins’ speech may please some of his constituents, but is seriously lacking in depth and validity.

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

BOB Watson finds it unhelpful that some Asians do not wear European dress (Yorkshire Post, July 11). Surely people should be able to wear what they like so long as their private parts are covered and their faces exposed.

What is really unhelpful is Mr Watson’s narrow view of integration. Of course there is still a lot of room for improvement but some of his suggestions are not only unreasonable but undesirable. What if some ethnic minority children born in this country do have traces of an Asian accent? It is only an accent after all.

A recent report disingenuously claimed that 15 per cent of school children in some areas had English as their second language: No hint that they might be fluent in English nor credit for their being bilingual.

A disabled friend who has the means to use Sheffield taxis daily enjoys engaging drivers in conversation.

He tells me that, broadly speaking, of the Asian drivers the older ones speak with an Asian accent with a hint of South Yorkshire and the younger ones speak with a South Yorkshire accent with Asian undertones.

I asked him if they communicated less well than their white English counterparts and the answer was an emphatic no. Astonishingly, your correspondent demands that Asians speak English inside as well as outside the home.

My wife and I both grew up in Ian McMillan’s Dearne Valley. In all our lighter moments at home we speak quite naturally in a dialect that would be incomprehensible to a southerner. I trust Mr Watson has no problem with that.