Iftikhar
Age: 83
Total Posts: 96
Points: 0
Location:
United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Integration: "Two -Way Street"British people should think of integration as a "two-way street" and learn other languages such as Polish and Urdu, a Cambridge academic has
said. Wendy Ayres-Bennett, professor of French philology and linguistics, said learning other languages is considered
"something difficult and only for the intellectual elite" by many in Britain.
She backed calls for immigrants to learn English once they arrive, as she warned migrant communities could develop "exclusive social
networks and alternative labour markets" without learning the native
language.Prof Ayres-Bennett, who also leads the MEITS (Multilingualism: Empowering individuals, transforming
societies) project promoting multilingualism, spoke out after two major reports
into integration in British society, published by Dame Louise Casey and the All
Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Integration. Many more English speakers should think of immigration as a ‘two-way street’ and be able to communicate in another language to aid integration and social cohesion, said academic Wendy Ayres-Bennett. The call flies in the face of two major reports into integration in British society which called on immigrants to learn English if
they want to live in the
UK. "It is very important to think of integration as a two-way street," she said. "Considering the issue from the point of view of language learning, we rightly expect immigrants to learn English but, as a nation, we
often don't see the need ourselves to learn another language, and consider it to
be something difficult and only for the intellectual elite.
She went on to say that society made a mistake in making significant effort to accommodate people coming in from the outside and that the
onus should mostly be on immigrants themselves to adapt to British
culture. "I would like to see more opportunities for British people to learn some of the community languages of the UK, such as
Polish, Punjabi and Urdu, particularly in areas where there are high numbers of
those speakers, so that there is some mutual effort in understanding the others'
language and culture.The Casey review and the APPG's report highlighted the need for more English language classes to reach communities that predominantly speak
other languages. Prof Ayres-Bennett said the reports reinforced the importance of languages in social cohesion as she
supported their recommendations for immigrants to learn English. "Without English, immigrants are likely to develop exclusive social networks and alternative labour markets," she
said."For most people, language is at the very heart of their identity. "We need to respect and celebrate this and to see English as adding to their multilingual and multicultural identities,
rather than trying to force immigrants to suppress or even lose their home
language and culture."
"Even a basic knowledge would be beneficial, which might be acquired formally or through engaging in joint community
projects." The largest ethnic minority groups in British schools are children of Pakistani origin: a community often accused of resisting
assimilation and integration. Ann Cryer, the MP for Keighley blamed Imams for
not speaking English. She should blame British schooling for not teaching
Urdu/Arabic to Pakistani children, thus depriving them of understanding the
Sermons in Arabic/Urdu. They are unable to enjoy the beauty of Urdu/Arabic
literature and poetry. Imams are not part of the problem rather than the
solutions. There is a proposal to teach Urdu as a compulsory language instead of
French and German in British schools. The British Government is urged to remove
the requirement in the National Curriculum that children between the ages of
11-14 study at least one European language.
In my opinion, native Brits and Muslim children must learn Arabic and Urdu to make
Muslims feel at home. The teaching of these languages will help native Brits to
understand the needs and demands of the Muslim community and healthy community
relations. It will help Muslim children to keep in touch with their cultural heritage and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry.
I live in a very multi-cultural area but the races rarely interact. One road is entirely populated by the Asian community,
with sari shops and Indian gold sold. Rarely do you see any other race walk down
it. On the high street there are a number of polish shops sprouting up. When I
hear people passing by talking, it is never the English language. Immigrants do
not think it necessary to integrate. Polish stick with Polish, Indians stick
with Indians. It will never change no matter what the government say.
Why complain when it’s the British who first migrated into other lands enslaving those people? When it is a question on
immigration, the feelings are so strong. I wonder why. Serves you right!
Britain! When the British colonised the world, it was ok. But now when people
from the former colonies and from other countries come to Britain, its not
ok? During colonial days, British did not follow local customs or culture. They didn't exactly "go native". They even
forced the native Americans and native Australian to adopt all the evils of
their culture and customs. They are still the underdogs of American and
Australian societies. At least Australian Prime Minister apologised to the
natives for their evil deeds. Brits living in Spain and France don't even bother
learning the language of the new adopted country.Frankly suggesting that people
don't want to become "British" they should move elsewhere is extremely
irritating. Immigrants are in UK because they are needed, it was never an act of
charity. Without migration, British economy and society will bleed to death.
British culture and customs will undoubtedly change as it has for millennium due
to immigration. I am not quite sure why Brits would be worried about that.
There is more hatred against Muslims in all the western countries than in Pakistan or in other Muslim countries against
Christians. Western countries are so called civilised countries while Muslim
countries are back ward or third world countries.The Famous English playwright
George Bernard Shaw said: The world much needs a man with Mohammad's bright
thinking. If a man like Mohammad(PBUH) were to assume The rule of modern world,
he would succeed in solving its problems and bring peace and happiness to it..
Almost all greatest thinkers praised Muhammad (PBUH) and his religion, if you
cannot agree with them then you have your head buried deep in the dirt or your
an intellectual dwarf have nothing against dwarves that's how they were created
but an intellectual dwarf you created yourself. One of the black companion of
Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) named Bilal holds high status in Islam even though he was
previously a slave . Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) ended all status and economic
differences and taught the people about equal rights. Those who abuse and curse
Islam are the ones who do not want to treat people equally and want to enjoy
privilege by amassing wealth through blood sucking capitalism, and they are the
ones who made fortune from the slave trading and I saw their grand sons in Paris
train stopping a black man from stepping into train. A report by the Institute for Community Cohesion found that native parents were deserting some schools after finding their
children out numbered by pupils from ethnic minorities. Schools in parts of
England are becoming increasingly segregated. The study focused on 13 local
authorities. Many of the schools and colleges are segregated and this was
generally worsening over recent years. This is RACISM because British society is
the home of institutional racism. My statement regarding Muslim schools where
there is no place for non-Muslim child or a teacher is based on educational
process and not on racism. Muslim children need Muslim teachers during their
developmental periods. For higher studies and research, Muslim teacher is not a
priority. Look into history and then you can cry because what goes around comes around. Don't
see why people have such a problem with mass immigration? It enriches our
culture and boosts the economy! We have to stop looking at these people as
immigrants and think of them as human beings. The immigrants are not to blame
because they were invited and welcomed here by our successive government. We
have quite large Spanish , French and Italian communities in Brighton and I
believe it really enhances the place and adds to diversity of the City.
Globalisation is here to stay. Britain colonised & some would say civilised
half the world. It's called Karma. Not so long ago British people colonized
Asia, living like kings while locals suffering to no end. At least, these
migrants do not enslave the Britons, so stop whining please.
The linguistic abilities of large number of Muslim children were being ignored because they had to learn another European
language as well as mastering English. The Government must promote the status of
Arabic/Urdu languages instead of languages of European origin. Tim Benson, head
of Nelson primary school in Newham said that the “nationalistic curriculum failed to recognize the staggering array of linguistic abilities and
competencies” in schools such as his, where the pupils spoke more than 40 languages. The linguistic dexterity of families speaking an array of languages
was celebrated but the “awesome achievements” of children mastering three or four languages were barely recognised by the education system. Social and
emotional education comes with your own language-literature and poetry. A DFE's document clearly states that children should be encouraged to maintain and
develop their home languages. A study shows that bilingualism is a positive benefit to cognitive development and bilingual
teacher is a dire necessity and is a role model. The price of ignoring
children’s bilingualism is educational failure and social exclusion. Bilingualism could be developed by bringing a partner from Pakistan. The kids
will get better at both languages. One will speak English while the other will
speak Urdu. Muslim children need to learn Qur'anic Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural heritage
and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. For this purpose, they need
state funded Muslim schools with Muslim teachers. There are hundreds of state
and church schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all
such schools may be opted out as Muslim Academies. There is no place for a
non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school. Stop treating foreigners like garbage and they will stop ruining your precious
country. Why did you let them in in the first place if you didn't want them
here? They left everything in their countries because of your promises. Are you
so anxious to please that you can't say "no"? I would love to see you go to a
foreign land where you don't have any friends, you don't even know anyone and
you don't speak the language, and start from scratch. I would just LOVE to watch
you do that. Let them integrate and stop segregating them. What I want is people
being nice to each other. I don't care about race.IAhttp://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
