WVTESOL Position on
Official English and English-Only Legislation and Policies
........As West Virginia teachers of English
to speakers of other languages (WVTESOL), we support English language learning
through the use of research-based, best teaching practices. WVTESOL opposes
all measures which seek to declare English the official language of West
Virginia. We find official English proposals to be exclusionary and divisive.
We believe in the "right of all individuals to preserve and foster their
linguistic and cultural origins" (TESOL Resolution on Language Rights, 1987).
It makes little sense to promote monolingualism at a time when multilingualism
is becoming an economic imperative. West Virginia government should be sending
a welcoming message to our state's international communities as part of
our international economic development strategy. Speakers of languages other
than English represent a valuable economic resource that would be wasted
or even destroyed by policies promoting English only. Recommendations: WVTESOL
recommends that all educators, policy-makers, and legislators join us in
our work to learn more about the issues surrounding language education,
language use, and language rights. We support all measures and policies,
which will contribute to multilingualism through the learning of English
and other languages for everyone. We recommend that our members, affiliate
organizations, and elected official speak out against official English and
English-only legislation and policies. As a positive alternative to English
only, we support an English Plus policy, which encourages the mastery of
English plus other languages for all.
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