Cindyg Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Would you like or avoid a Spanish curriculum that included topics such as: * How Mexican children celebrate Christmas * How Mexican children participate in The Day of the Dead * Learning the Lord's Prayer in a church in Mexico * Hearing "scary" Mexican folktales around a campfire * A "slightly" Catholic family in Mexico (not proselytizing, but reflecting a traditional Mexican family) (My first poll! Thank you for participating!) Edited November 12, 2011 by Cindyg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Wouldn't bother me. I didn't vote though - I don't know if the feeling is strong enough to either like or avoid. If the rest of the curriculum was good, a like. If the rest of the curriculum was bad, avoid. Those elements alone wouldn't make it or break it for me. Edited November 12, 2011 by WeeBeaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I think it is important to learn about culture when you are learning a language. If there are parts you don't like, you can always skip them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Cultural things...no problem. Prayers? Deal-breaker. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Not sure why I should have a problem with that :confused: Language studies should involve culture studies as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Cultural things...no problem. Prayers? Deal-breaker. Bill For many cultures in the world, you cannot separate their 'cultural things' and their religion/prayers. I'm really not sure why you would try to massacre cultural topics by avoiding anything that was religious - even from a secular standpoint it's ludicrous IMO. Catholocism is a HUGE part of mexican culture - from their holidays to family traditions. You can't divorce that as you study the people. It would be like studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt and not acknowledging the Muslim influences in everything - from people's names, orientation of cities, holidays, festivals, tourism, etc... Even knowing what the call to prayer that interrupts every.single.day in those countries is important - as is learning what people say during those times. It has been helpful to me to know the basics of the call to prayer even though I am not Muslim. I wouldn't have a problem with my children learning them (there is a difference between learning them as something that is a poem/verse from another culture vs. actually adopting them as a personal devotional prayer). Edited November 12, 2011 by Sevilla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Would you like or avoid a Spanish curriculum that included topics such as: * How Mexican children celebrate Christmas * How Mexican children participate in The Day of the Dead * Learning the Lord's Prayer in a church in Mexico * Hearing "scary" Mexican folktales around a campfire * A "slightly" Catholic family in Mexico (not proselytizing, but reflecting a traditional Mexican family) (My first poll! Thank you for participating!) Why is how Mexican children celebrating Christmas controversial? It sounds fine to me either way. I would neither embrace it nor shun it based on those things. If the curriculum was a good fit for us and did the job I'd use it. If it didn't, I wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 For many cultures in the world, you cannot separate their 'cultural things' and their religion/prayers. I'm really not sure why you would try to massacre cultural topics by avoiding anything that was religious - even from a secular standpoint it's ludicrous IMO. Because I do not want religious content in my language (or an other academic) programs. It is an over-reach. Catholocism is a HUGE part of mexican culture - from their holidays to family traditions. You can't divorce that as you study the people. It would be like studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt and not acknowledging the Muslim influences in everything - from people's names, orientation of cities, holidays, festivals, tourism, etc... The equivalent would be having a child learn to say Muslim prayers like al-Fatiha ( the opening of the Qur'an that I can recite in Arabic). An inclusion of Muslim prayers might not set well with all parents if it was included in a book studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt. I'm sure you understand that. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeeBeaks Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 An inclusion of Muslim prayers might not set well with all parents if it was included in a book studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt. This wouldn't bother me personally. I don't mind my child learning prayers of other cultures within the framework of learning about that country/culture, whether the prayer is of a current religion or culture or a religion or culture of the past. So much of understanding history, I think, involves religion. People do and have done incredible things, both good and bad, due to religious beliefs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 This wouldn't bother me personally. I don't mind my child learning prayers of other cultures within the framework of learning about that country/culture, whether the prayer is of a current religion or culture or a religion or culture of the past. So much of understanding history, I think, involves religion. People do and have done incredible things, both good and bad, due to religious beliefs. Personally, I like to decide these things for myself and deeply resent it when authors of programs for children include religious content that is not directly related to do with the subject at hand, which in this case is learning Spanish and not learning Christianity. The Lord's Prayer would be a deal-breaker for me. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 * How Mexican children celebrate Christmas* How Mexican children participate in The Day of the Dead * Learning the Lord's Prayer in a church in Mexico * Hearing "scary" Mexican folktales around a campfire * A "slightly" Catholic family in Mexico (not proselytizing, but reflecting a traditional Mexican family) The only issue I would have would be the scary folktales, and that would be only for my older son who gets scared REALLY easily. We've had to stop reading several books like The Spiderwick Chronicles, Bunnicula, and others b/c they gave him bad dreams. :tongue_smilie: So I'd skip them. I'd still buy the program, though. I think the rest is fine. The Day of the Dead is a pretty big deal. I wouldn't skip that or the religious parts. But that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 Why is how Mexican children celebrating Christmas controversial? Well, I wouldn't be covering Santa and the reindeer. I know people have strong feelings about religious things. And I do wonder if I should stick to generic topics. I'd love some more votes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Well, I wouldn't be covering Santa and the reindeer. I know people have strong feelings about religious things. And I do wonder if I should stick to generic topics. I'd love some more votes. Reading that children in Mexico believe in Santa and his reindeer is a far cry from teaching your dc that there is a Santa Claus. Do Mexican children to the whole Santa thing like we do? Unfortunately I have not come across that information in our Spanish book. It did, however, inform us that they eat their biggest meal entre las doce y las dos de la tarde. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Because I do not want religious content in my language (or an other academic) programs. It is an over-reach. An inclusion of Muslim prayers might not set well with all parents if it was included in a book studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt. I'm sure you understand that. Bill I wouldn't mind either, now. I would have minded at 6, but kiddo seems to have his namesake's natural skeptical mind, and I no longer worry about him being "influenced". We are really enjoying Muhlberger's Bible in Art, and kiddo loves pointing out anything in the story or the art that is not physically possible. :001_smile: He started that up all on his own, I swear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Personally, I like to decide these things for myself and deeply resent it when authors of programs for children include religious content that is not directly related to do with the subject at hand, which in this case is learning Spanish and not learning Christianity. Well, yes, if it was an agenda I would have problem. I guess I see participation in some form of Christianity as rather integral with being Mexican. I knew many Mexicans back in Kansas, and work with patients and staff now, and I'm thinking I only have known one non-theist. So, if the book was all an agenda, I would have a problem, but folk tales make it seem more balanced. However, unless a child is very familiar with the Lord's Prayer, it would be something not approached in Spanish for a 7 year old. If the text IS for a 7 year old and the author is relying on the child being very familiar with it, I would say it should be clearly labeled as a book for Christian families. I'm betting the Lord's Prayer is as beautiful in Spanish as in English, as I suspect the beauty and rhythm of it is part of the salesmanship of it. I'm not past pointing that out to kiddo, either. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertmum Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I haven't found a Spanish curriculum to suit our needs yet. Either the words are different because it is made in Spain, or Mexico, etc. or because the customs and traditions are different in each country. I try to teach "generic" Spanish at this point. Later on I will go into some of the customs of each country. No religious content at the moment except for a short prayer. I have a reluctant learner so I am keeping things simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I don't see some of those as being controversial (how a child celebrates Christmas in Mexico? That's culture, not controversy). Talking about what a Catholic family does, I'm fine with - again, that's culture. Teaching the Lord's Prayer... that's starting to get a bit iffy to me. I wouldn't feel right saying the prayer of another religion. For example, if a foreign language included a prayer to the god of dust bunnies, I wouldn't be teaching my kids to say this prayer to the god of dust bunnies. We don't believe such a god exists, and it would be wrong for us to pray to a false god. Now if you're just mentioning that a Mexican child says the Lord's Prayer, that's a cultural thing. And I could see including the text of the prayer in a sidebar to see what the prayer is. But if you were to have the student learning to say a prayer as part of the curriculum, that's where I would have an issue (as a general principle, not pertaining to the Lord's Prayer specifically... we're Christian, so my kids read this prayer in the Bible as a model of how to pray). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Now if you're just mentioning that a Mexican child says the Lord's Prayer, that's a cultural thing. And I could see including the text of the prayer in a sidebar to see what the prayer is. But if you were to have the student learning to say a prayer as part of the curriculum, that's where I would have an issue :iagree: Seeing it in there as a cultural reference shouldn't upset people, but having to memorize it as part of the text might. Same for the holidays: you can present them as "many people here celebrate x by doing y" instead of as hard fact. There's no way you can keep Catholic culture out of a Spanish program (anything beyond the "first 100 words" type). Edited November 12, 2011 by K&Rs Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Cultural things...no problem. Prayers? Deal-breaker. Bill :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I guess I see participation in some form of Christianity as rather integral with being Mexican. :iagree: You can't discuss culture in many Spanish-speaking countries without including a lot of religion. Religious content, even prayers, don't bother me at all as long as the intent is not overtly evangelical. (In case it matters, I'm an atheist.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Those are cultural issues, and I think it's fine to include them in a language course. Having lived overseas, I realize that you can't really learn a language well without understanding its culture. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 The equivalent would be having a child learn to say Muslim prayers like al-Fatiha ( the opening of the Qur'an that I can recite in Arabic). An inclusion of Muslim prayers might not set well with all parents if it was included in a book studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt. I'm sure you understand that. Bill I almost never disagree with you, Bill, but I do on this one. I'd actually like the Muslim prayer in that book, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 One could always just skip memorizing the prayer. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 One could always just skip memorizing the prayer. Tara Or skip the purchase, which is what I would do. 100% deal-breaker. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Well, I'd like it but we are Catholic, so it would work perfectly for us. ;) FWIW, if we came across a Muslim or other non-Christian religious prayer in a book we would read it for the cultural interest, but not feel we had to memorize it or anything just because it was there trying to teach us something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 n/m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Or skip the purchase, which is what I would do. 100% deal-breaker. Well, yes, I believe you made that clear. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I wouldn't buy a Spanish book that offered the learning of a prayer in Spanish. The other stuff wouldn't bother me at all. Why would they need to learn a prayer? It's not like my kid would need to use it. What vocabulary is in a prayer that he can't learn elsewhere? If I saw a prayer in a text, I would assume the book is written for another audience, that it is proselytizing in nature. Given that I have many other choices I would not buy it. I don't buy math or Latin or science or language arts that uses religion to teach. Why would I make a different decision with Spanish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I would be okay with a curriculum that covered these topics. Memorizing a prayer can be skipped - or the prayer may be only skimmed out of cultural interest, but not more than that. FWIW, I translated numerous passages from the original NT and learned all the standard Latin prayers and the creed. In modern foreign languages lessons, there was always a lesson or two which had something to do with religion - religious vocabulary, holidays, dialogues of families going to church, like the stuff you describe. I think it is expectable. As long as the curriculum is not based on religion, using it as a prism through which it teaches everything else, I am okay with it. Also, some languages and cultures are more deeply connected to religion than others. I can imagine a very neutral English course, but NOT a very neutral Hebrew course, because the nature of the language is such that it is just deeply intertwined with the religion. You cannot even teach numbers in Hebrew without knowing why you are avoiding certain combinations of letters, for example. Spanish is on the more neutral side, but still, I would expect a lesson or two that has something to do with religion - and skip the learning of the prayer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Because I do not want religious content in my language (or an other academic) programs. It is an over-reach. The equivalent would be having a child learn to say Muslim prayers like al-Fatiha ( the opening of the Qur'an that I can recite in Arabic). An inclusion of Muslim prayers might not set well with all parents if it was included in a book studying Saudi Arabia or Egypt. I'm sure you understand that. Bill I'm not the poster you are responding to, but why would that bother anyone. The above poster was very correct. You cannot separate religion from the basic culture of the people. What I don't understand is the fear people have about other religions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 You can't learn language without learning the culture. I would expect it, whether I was studying Spanish or Hindi. I would feel free, though, to gloss over a story that might scare my kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) depends. If the prayer was presented in a purely intellectual way---to learn about the culture and religion of a group of people then it would be fine. If it was presented in a proselytizing way than I wouldn't use it. I'm not religiously affiliated with any one religion but I did study psychology and religious studies in school. I honestly believe that denying children the chance to learn about other religions and to read the texts of those religions will be denying them a very important part of a well rounded education. Reading a prayer doesn't *make* a person suddenly accepting that religion's beliefs. If we go out of our way to filter everything religious from our children's lives then I honestly feel that there will be less tolerance for others in the next generation. Learning about other's beliefs in a spirit of openness and acceptance is the best way imo to create tolerance and compassion and understanding. A good way to instill that is if our children understand the practices and beliefs of others---if they understand why Catholics do such and such or why certain things are done at Hannukkah or when and how do Muslims do their daily prayers. If all knowledge of those things are sterilized and censored from their lives---shudder. Now I don't use things like say--calculadders---Bible verses on the bottom of a math drill page is over reaching and unnecessary. But religious material --neutral religious material---is okay in other subjects. Edited November 12, 2011 by Walking-Iris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 Cultural things...no problem. Prayers? Deal-breaker. Bill :iagree:and I'm Catholic. If a curriculum is intended to be secular/neutral, prayers don't belong in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I'm not the poster you are responding to, but why would that bother anyone. I would not purchase a language curriculum that had students learning a prayer from Islam or other non-Christian faith. I might borrow a book on Islam or Hinduism or whatever from the library to supplement our history studies, but any language book I buy would need to be secular or neutral about non-Christian faiths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I didn't vote because those things would not cause me to avoid or like a Spanish curriculum. If you want it to be secular, I think you can include everything but the prayer. *I* would not mind learning the prayer but clearly some would. *I* would have no problem learning a Muslim prayer in conjunction with learning about their culture, but I know many of my Christian friends would so I do understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 I'm the OP. Let me change "learning the Lord's prayer" to "attending church and hearing the priest (or the congregation) saying the Lord's prayer." I really never intended to assign the learner to memorize the Lord's prayer in Spanish, though if a parent wanted the child to, they could assign it. If the curriculum included a storyline where a child attended church in Mexico with her grandmother and *heard* the Lord's prayer, is that too much? Serious question, and not trying to be argumentative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryanne Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I think the cultural stuff would be fine, even expected. As for the religious side of the culture and learning prayers, I think it depends on the age of the children it's targeted to. For example I don't think I would be real keen on lower elementary school children memorizing Muslim prayers or passages of the Koran in an intro to Arabic curriculum. On the other hand I think I would expect a high school language curriculum to study and memorize significant literature in the language and that would include the Koran and Muslim prayers if the language were Arabic. I would expect it to be studied for its linguistic, literary and cultural value the way a non-Christian might study the Bible rather than in a proselytizing or propagandizing way though. I did not vote though because my answer would be "it depends" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I'm baffled by some of the responses here. Why are some posters assuming the inclusion of a prayer means that there's intent to proselytize? Why can't it just be part of studying culture? Do you have the same reaction to history curricula? If the text of a prayer was included in a medieval history text, would you really cross it off your list? Because frankly, without a lot of discussion of religion, I don't see how one can do justice to medieval history. And would you object to showing your child reproductions of art with religious subjects? May as well skip much of art history then. How is the inclusion of religion in the cultural studies portion of a foreign language curriculum any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I'm the OP. Let me change "learning the Lord's prayer" to "attending church and hearing the priest (or the congregation) saying the Lord's prayer." I really never intended to assign the learner to memorize the Lord's prayer in Spanish, though if a parent wanted the child to, they could assign it. If the curriculum included a storyline where a child attended church in Mexico with her grandmother and *heard* the Lord's prayer, is that too much? No, and I would not have any objection to an Arabic language curriculum that mentioned in passing a family attending worship services at a mosque or hearing the call to prayer. The prayer itself is what I think does not belong in a secular/neutral curriculum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I think this poll should be a call-out to creators of programs like this to put controversial topics in an appendix and refer to them in the book as an optional activity. If a family really can't stand the thought of any of that stuff even being in their home they could just take a knife and cut it out! Heck, you could even make it easy for them and perforate those pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share Posted November 12, 2011 I think this poll should be a call-out to creators of programs like this to put controversial topics in an appendix and refer to them in the book as an optional activity. If a family really can't stand the thought of any of that stuff even being in their home they could just take a knife and cut it out! Heck, you could even make it easy for them and perforate those pages. LOL. "Goodnight, Grandma." "Good night, dear." "Now turn to Appendix A if you would like the child to say a traditional bedtime prayer, or alternatively, to destroy that page." I so appreciate everyone who participated in this discussion. I learned a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I wouldn't buy a Spanish book that offered the learning of a prayer in Spanish. The other stuff wouldn't bother me at all. Why would they need to learn a prayer? It's not like my kid would need to use it. What vocabulary is in a prayer that he can't learn elsewhere? If I saw a prayer in a text, I would assume the book is written for another audience, that it is proselytizing in nature. Given that I have many other choices I would not buy it. I don't buy math or Latin or science or language arts that uses religion to teach. Why would I make a different decision with Spanish? :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 LOL. "Goodnight, Grandma." "Good night, dear." "Now turn to Appendix A if you would like the child to say a traditional bedtime prayer, or alternatively, to destroy that page." I so appreciate everyone who participated in this discussion. I learned a lot. Well, in your given example of going to church, they can go to church and say that priest then says the Lord's Prayer. (See Appendix A for full text of the prayer.) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 ...I don't know that prayers are a big deal for an atheist. Since I don't believe in the contents of the prayer none of them would interfere with my (non) beliefs. I wonder if this is more difficult for a person who believes in a particular faith and is faced with reading beliefs/prayers from another faith. Hopefully that made sense. I sometimes read prayers with the idea that it's cultural and even sometimes poetic. My kids aren't confused. Interestingly I've never told my kids that I'm an atheist yet my 9 year old has said very loudly at times he thinks the idea of believing in a god is silly (and lest anyone freak out, I tell him he should keep that thought private because belief is very important to many people and we shouldn't tell them they are silly for it). :iagree:except that I am agnostic. Your conversations with your kids sound very similar to what we have here, although DD believes in God. I have done (and will do) nothing to discourage it. I'd actually like the Muslim prayer in that book, too. :iagree:(although I understand that we're deviating from the thread's poll here) I think knowing the typical content in prayers of different religions is extremely valuable information, not to mention fascinating. I also think knowledge of the Lord's Prayer is part of being culturally literate. I'm just generally not a fan of the close-mindedness often revealed by people from different religious perspectives, and that includes the downright indignant attitude some atheists have against all religion in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daffodil Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 depends. If the prayer was presented in a purely intellectual way---to learn about the culture and religion of a group of people then it would be fine. If it was presented in a proselytizing way than I wouldn't use it. Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Well, in your given example of going to church, they can go to church and say that priest then says the Lord's Prayer. (See Appendix A for full text of the prayer.) :) Like anyone with half-a-brain and an internet connection couldn't find the Lord's Prayer in Spanish? :D Religious education is something I think should be left to parents, and not to the authors of educational programs teaching non-religious subjects like Spanish. If an author chooses to include religious content in such a course, I will choose not to use it. Might I include learning the Lord's Prayer in Latin when studying that language, or learning al-Fataha is studying Arabic? Maybe. I choose to learn these myself. But that is a decision I would like to make as a parent, and not have my hand forced by a language program. Bill Edited November 12, 2011 by Spy Car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 If an author chooses to include religious content in such a course, I will choose not to use it. Might I include learning the Lord's Prayer in Latin when studying that language, or learning al-Fataha is studying Arabic? Maybe. I choose to learn these myself. But that is a decision I would like to make as a parent, and not have my hand forced by a language program. But in this case, it sounds like the author would just be mentioning that the Mexican child goes to church and hears the Lord's Prayer, not that the Spanish student is being taught the Lord's Prayer in Spanish. There is a huge difference there. One is learning about the culture of the Mexican child. The other is teaching religious prayers to the student. I'm totally cool with teaching the culture. I'd rather save the learning of actual prayers for if I choose to on my own, so I'm in agreement there. I just don't think the author is intending to do what you think she is. :) It's just like learning about an Arab child that says daily prayers. You don't have to teach the Arabic version of the prayers, but it is important to know how the child functions in daily life, and that those prayers are part of his life. That's an important part of the child's culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I'm an athiest, if that matters, and I voted "like". I'm not into avoiding culture or daily life topics on the idea of being politically correct. I've lived in two very Catholic countries in the past four years and quite honestly, the knowledge of the religion has saved me from making some very touristy blunders (and my children, too!) If a language curriculum included the daily culture I'd be all over it, even and especially if it included songs, stories, colloquialisms, and prayers that I might be exposed to while visiting that country. I'd rather have a background to guide me than have a curriculum pretend that the religious aspect of the culture didn't exist and send me into a tailspin when I got there. The only way I would have a problem with religious content added is if it was done in such a way that it expected me to memorize or practise the tenets of the faith: reciting the morning prayer to the call of the muezzin or taking part in a novena, for example. Not down with that. However, I think the idea of a character in a story throughout the course doing those things is wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 No problem whatsoever. In fact, I think this kind of curriculum is an ideal fit for ds especially. Not that he needs any Spanish curriculum right now :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I wouldn't be wildly thrilled about scary stories, but I'd like anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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