Vietnam’s miVietnamese-Americans strive to preserve mother tongue
Written by tuan on 2008/01/22 23:55
In the American state of Texas, home to the second biggest Vietnamese community in the US after California, parents endeavor to pass on the homeland’s language to their American-born children. At many local Vietnamese language centers, students are taught more than just the language.
“My child is learning discipline taught in schools back in Vietnam, such as coming to class on time and addressing older people politely,” said a parent whose child attends a Dallas-based language center.
“Students even have to wear the Vietnamese school children’s uniform – the white shirt, blue pants and red scarf.”
Teachers at the center say that in order for second-generation Vietnamese children to truly grasp and appreciate the mother tongue, it must be taught within an appropriate cultural context.
“This explains why Vietnamese values and academic protocols are taught at our center,” a female instructor clarifies.
Across Texas, Vietnamese language centers offer students one-hour sessions on weekends, although many teachers acknowledge that one hour a week is insufficient to convey the full beauty and idiosyncrasies of the Vietnamese language to their students.
But living in the US, where students have to attend American schools daily, that is the most instruction teachers can offer given the time constraint.
Instructors and pupils alike say it is challenging to cram lessons in such short sessions.
“Teachers have to complete their planned lessons, check students’ homework, and give students time to practice their speaking skills,” said another teacher.
Teachers at the language centers are often volunteers.
They work full-time jobs elsewhere and have chosen to devote their meager spare time on weekends to teach Vietnamese.
Students’ appreciation for their efforts drives the commitment to preserve the native tongue for the second generation.
Ngoc Tran, a Vietnamese teacher in Austin, said he felt very happy to receive a greeting card from his students for Vietnam Teachers’ Day on November 20.
“My pupils live in America but they still remember that day,” he proudly asserted.
Source: Tuoi Tre
