Brenda I.

Gmez Ramos
S00805341
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
The teaching and learning of English in Puerto Rico is affected by many factors, but
perhaps the most significant is cultural and political decisions. These political decisions seem to
affect directly the decisions related to the use of English on the island and our students are the
most affected.
Slang and foreign words of Spanish in Puerto Rico are common and very particular of its
culture. Mainly, Taino, African, and American English influences, among others, have modified
the lexicon of this language in much of its population.
The Puerto Rican government itself has admitted that its education system has failed in its
attempt to get students to master Spanish and English verbal and written communication skill.
Also, the results of the Pruebas Puertorriqueas de Aprovechamiento Acadmico (PPAA) of the
public school system of Puerto Rico show that, in the last six years, 50% of students are not
fluent in Spanish and 54% they are not fluent in English.
Research studies have shown that ubiquitous learning (Ostolaza, M. 2001 Final report on
the language in PR) is effective for learning languages, Spanish proficiency improves English
learning as a second language, ant that they should cultivate is students the confidence and
competence as readers and writers to have success in advanced educational environments as
independent learners. However, it is still necessary to conduct more studies to indicate what may

be the most appropriate strategies to ensure that in Puerto Rico people can be fluent in both
English and Spanish languages.
Some students have been undergoing a series of changes in its vocabulary, grammar,
syntactic and discourse structure. Submit as possible factors these changes, linguistic
interference, the process dialect of a language, a mixture of Spanish and English and lack of
mastery of vernacular (Ostalaza, 2001).
We must ask ourselves how we as parents can help our children with English learning,
leaving aside the political ideals. And focus on the future of our children.

Electronic References:

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August, D., Calderon M. & Carlo, M. (May 2002). Transfer of Skills from Spanish to
English: A Study of Young Learners. Center for Applied Linguistics

Krashen, S.D. (1987). Principlies and Practice in Second Language Acquisition

Centeno, C. (2000).

La competencia lectora en los estudiantes de nuevo ingreso.

Dialogo. P.726. Departamento de Educacin de Puerto Rico (2013). Recuperado de

http://www.de.gobierno.pr