I have noticed that for students for whom English is a second language, their writing is sometimes a bit "off."  

Often they participate in class discussion just fine, but when the first paper is due, I see all sorts of issues in their use of English.

I have noticed students whose parents speak an Asian language at home have a hard time with prepositions.  Anyone else ever notice that?
Jan 

 
----------- Original message from Brad Johnston <[log in to unmask]>: -----------


On Mon, 8/10/09, Jan Kammert <[log in to unmask]> wrote Is this student a native English speaker? 

~~~~~~~~~ I now find that this student came to the USA from El Salvador at the age of 3. His parents speak Spanish to their three children and to each other "at the dinner table", although I presume, because of their jobs, that they are both reasonably proficient in English. The three children, of which he is the oldest, speak English in school and speak English to each other. He speaks English without an accent. And he speaks better than he writes, by quite some. Interesting that you asked the question. I only noticed the somehow-off syntax but it did not occur to me that maybe there was a foreign influence in the home. Bravo. .brad.14aug09.   


Original message from Brad Johnston <[log in to unmask]>

I asked a young person who will be a high school junior this Fall to write a 300-word essay on any subject. What shall I write about? Whatever suits you. If you can't think of anything else, try the old stand-by, "what I did this summer". This is the result. Would some of you who are familiar with the grade level please tell me where this effort might rank with those of similar pedigree? An approximate percentile would be most helpful. Secondly, would you correct it or praise it, uncorrected, for the simple accomplishment? I will try for more in either event. Everything below -- punctuation, spelling, spacing, everything -- is exactly as presented to me, typewritten. .thanks.brad.10aug09. ~~~~~~~~~  This summer has
 been a summer of hard work; usually my past summers have been of spending time together and going out to enjoy the hot atmosphere. But don't get me wrong we have gone out a couple of times it just hasn't been a summer like the past. I started this summer with first working at a super market, (since last year) which I have been working at. My family and I went to the lake a couple of times; we also have gone to King's Dominion. We have also made a couple of trips to North Carolina to visit some friends and to spend some time out of state, which we haven't left since 2007. On the other hand work has been split up for me because I have been doing Community service for the County, and I have been working at the super market the rest of the time. The hours I have been doing is for academic recognition and to serve the community. This is something I have been enjoying a lot, because I have been at the sports complex fixing the fields and
putting sod. I
 enjoy this, because my Dad has a Landscaping company and does all this type of work which I'm used to. The time I have donated, I think has been in good faith; I have met nice people and have talked to different types with different types of characters and emotions.       On the other hand school is also going to begin and I still haven't gone school shopping but what I'm more interested is to class to start. Also I have Cheerleading practice will start this Wednesday and I need to be very active and hydrated. Then when December starts I'm going to have to start competing for acceptance to West Point. Also I'm going to have to work real hard and hit the books more often then I'm used to, and finish with good grades. Which will be an honor for me and my family because then my parents will be very happy and content with me. ~~~~~~~~~  Word Count: 348
      

      
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