How Immigrant Parents Do Their Children a Disservice when They Do Not Learn English

Immigrants who move to America will not immediately assimilate into American society or learn to speak flawless English like a native-born American. But what happens five or ten years down the line when they have children and the parents have still not mastered the English language? Read on to learn more about how immigrant parents do their children a disservice when they do not learn English.

While some immigrants who move to America are natural linguists and pick up the English language with relative ease within the first few years after their arrival, many struggle for years to feel comfortable with conversing in English. Rather than persevere in their efforts, some give up. This not only has long term consequences for them as they struggle to get by in America, but it can also have a huge impact on any children that they have.

One of the most significant ways in which children of immigrants who do not learn English suffer is at school. School trips, dances, fund raising events and parent-teacher conferences are important, every day events in a child's life, but even more so when the parents support their children. Immigrant parents who do not speak English will not be able to chaperone their children and others to the fullest extent or be as involved in these events as children whose parents speak English. While some immigrant parents can and do participate in their children's curricular and extra curricular activities, their involvement will be limited, unless they find teachers and other parents who speak the same language as they do or if their children translate for them.

Children of immigrants who do not speak English will only be able to offer limited assistance during homework assignments. It will be hard for parents to help their children with an English grammar exercise or to read to them if they themselves are unable to grasp English.