Language barriers are becoming more and more present in the United States. For example, those students who are not fluent in English may experience difficulties with their school work in college.Not only will the language barrier affect your performance in school, it will also affect your communication throughout everyday life. These difficulties can hinder the students listening, speaking, reading, writing, and learning.
The language barriers that the student has can affect their listening and speaking because they may not comprehend the instructions the instructor is giving. The student can get a translator to help assist them with listening to lectures and to help them with school assignments. Also, the student might not be able to say what he or she wants because they will not know how to translate the correct words into the English language. Another helpful thing the student can do is practice writing words in English as well as their corresponding definitions. This will not only help the student understand the meaning of the words, but they can also learn the correct pronunciation of the words.
If students learned to read and write in a different language, then it will be difficult for them to understand the material they are reading. In addition to reading, their writing can be hindered because some words in Spanish do not translate over into English. This can be a problem because the student can easily mistake a Spanish work for an English word. Both words can have a totally different meaning if the student doesn’t fully understand the definitions of the English word versus the Spanish word.
A student can rely on his or her strengths to succeed in college and not focus on possible language barriers by receiving help from an English speaking friend. The student can also take an English class, where an instructor assists him or her in their English proficiency. Some ways one could help ignore the language barrier is if they need additional help they can go to their teacher during their specific office hours, email the teacher’s assistant, or they can go to a study hall session located in the library.
In conclusion; listening, speaking, reading, writing, and learning can be hindering factors for a student with a specific language barrier. Seeking help and taking the appropriate classes will help the student surpass the stereotypes about students with language barriers. There are also so many ways for the student to overcome the language barrier and still manage to be successful in college.
