Why do some students dread their second language?
Rare is the Singaporean who speaks or understands only one language. The average auntie you see haggling over vegetables at the wet market probably knows Mandarin, a dialect or two, and perhaps some Malay. In school, most of us study two languages (some even learn three) -- English and Chinese, Malay or Tamil. But it can be difficult to juggle a couple of languages, especially if your family speaks English predominantly. Hence, it is not surprising that some students are second language handicapped.
Speaking the Language
What's the big deal about being less proficient in your second language? For a start, you need to pass your second language to enter junior college or polytechnic of your choice. And while it may not benefit you now, knowing a second language can give you an edge over others at work in future. It is also embarrassing when someone speaks to you in your mother tongue and you can't make head or tail of it. This brings to mind an incident a colleague told me: at a press conference, a journalist asked the Chinese artiste a question in English. The artiste, seeing that the journalist was Chinese, replied in Mandarin. However, the latter could not understand him and had to ask him to repeat in English. That earned the journalist a look of disdain from all who were present, including the artiste himself. Today, being proficient in another language is an asset; it can open many doors for your career in the future. This is especially evident as large markets such as China and India are opening up in the Asian region.
"Eat Potato"
There is a Hokkien phrase that describes people who speak only English and can't understand their mother tongue: potato eater (because potatoes are the staple diet of westerners). How do some students get labelled that? As mentioned, a predominantly English-speaking background would very likely contribute to someone being monolingual. Some people from our parents' generation were brought up to think that being English educated was crucial to securing a good job and future. Your parents might share that notion, and they might reinforce it by speaking only English at home. In addition, the language you pick up in your growing years becomes the language you'd be most comfortable to speak in when you're older. Speaking English may also seem more fashionable and "in", especially if your peers feel that people who speak their mother tongue as "uncool". Of course, not everyone shares those ideas. In most cases, the second language is one's mother tongue, and to some people, not knowing your mother tongue is like disavowing your roots.
Taunted
You may be a victim yourself or you may have dished out the taunting on someone. We're talking about how being less proficient in one's mother tongue can invite alienation and bullying from peers. This is evident at school where you can see English-speaking students becoming their classmates' target of ridicule and teasing. Chinese students get called "bananas" -- yellow on the outside but white on the inside. And all because you or someone doesn't quite speak the language as well as the rest. Why do people taunt and ridicule those who are weak in their second language? Perhaps they are resentful that someone speaks better English than they do. Or maybe they can't bear hearing the language being massacred by a less familiar tongue.
Singled Out
Fellow students are not the only ones guilty of singling out the second-language handicapped; many teachers also engaged in it, albeit with good intentions. They call on weaker students more frequently in the hope that the extra practice would do them good. However, this can backfire because these students dread second language lessons to begin with, and singling them out may draw unwanted attention to their language inaptness. It is never easy to accept ridicule, especially from your peers. There is a stigma that these taunted students carry with them. To deal with this, a camaraderie develops among those who are more proficient in their first language. Perhaps as an act of rebellion, some even take a perverse pleasure in doing badly for their second language papers.
Help the Language Handicapped
It would be very myopic to say that because someone is not proficient in his mother tongue, he is not proud of his culture and heritage. How can the situation be improved then? Schools can help by realising that this is an issue that needs to be dealt with sensitively. Perhaps teachers could explain to these students the bigger picture -- that language is part of their cultural identity. Already, the method of separating students into language classes based on their proficiency has been adopted by some schools. This gives the student a more level playing field. The student would then feel more comfortable as he is among his peers as he is among his peers who have similar language capabilities.
Labels: "eat potato", language handicapped, proficiency, second language, singling out, taunting
