tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7186797.post115860961205385294..comments2023-12-29T05:24:43.830-06:00Comments on Kay Brooks: Officially EnglishKay Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06073075957511329333noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7186797.post-1158673489556190992006-09-19T08:44:00.000-05:002006-09-19T08:44:00.000-05:00I can speak from personal experience. When my wif...I can speak from personal experience. When my wife came to the U.S. from Chile, she did not know English, and she did not know how to drive. She had used public transportation all her life. When she got here, she learned how to drive faster than she learned English, as I imagine would be true for just about anyone. As she was still learning English but before she was proficient enough to feel comfortable taking a written test in English, she took the written portion of the Tennessee drivers test in Spanish and passed. After passing the road test, she got her license. Her assimilation and integration into Nashville went much faster because she was able to get out of the house by herself. Her English improved by working and by going to English classes, and she drove herself to both. Her English is fine now, and I appreciate the hospitality of the City of Nashville in acknowledging that driving is part of integrating and not putting her license on hold until she was able to pass a written English test.John Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17459152943015338527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7186797.post-1158636275936063052006-09-18T22:24:00.000-05:002006-09-18T22:24:00.000-05:00Well said, Kay. So many seem to forget or don't kn...Well said, Kay. So many seem to forget or don't know the rules for immigration to this country. Immigrants are supposed to be learning English. Our traditional assimilation model has been defeated -- the loss of English as our common language is the canary in the mine -- because we are taking in more immigrants annually than we ever did before the changes in our immigration policy a few decades ago.Donna Lockehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051276211353387204noreply@blogger.com