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Hindi Class Why our children should join Hindi-Class? Learning their native language
keeps the children in contact with their culture. When speakers
of one language settle into an area where another language is
spoken, and effort is not taken to preserve their first language,
then over the years they will be completely assimilated into the
other language and culture. While assimilation is not necessarily
a negative occurrence, our children should be taught to maintain
their ethnic identity, which can be done by teaching the mother
tongue. With the above factors in mind, Hindi Class was introduced for the first time in Kansas City in April 2005. Along with reading, writing and speaking Hindi, the class exposes children to their ethnic heritage through discussion, role-play, presentations, arts and crafts, etc. Hindi Class celebrates all major festivals using educational themes. Hindi Class is coordinated by
Swapnam Kumar with help of few volunteers. Swapnam Kumar is an
elementary school teacher by profession with more than 25 years
of teaching experience in different ethnic situations. She has
taught in India, Africa, and now in USA. |
Dismissing
the importance of Hindi is in a way neglecting our cultural values
and depriving our children of their cultural identity. Also, it
is easy for children to develop their mother tongue while developing
English skills as well. Research has shown that compared to other
immigrants, second generation Asian children are more quickly
losing their mother tongue.
