1. Example of English Plus group PowerPoint for English Plus vs. U.S. English: Debating Bilingualism in the United States Walter Araya, Joanne McDowell, Canda McPhail English Plus

2. English-Plus English Plus believes −I−Immigrants and other native speakers language knowledge is a valuable resource we should be taking advantage of −E−English should be taught in conjunction with maintaining and improving native language skills. −E−English Plus can improve the life of immigrants and the well-being of the United States −S−Should pass legislation to provide bilingual education and social services in other languages to allow for English Plus

3. Cultural Impacts Having English Plus will allow immigrants to learn English faster, which will help them be better members of American society. Having the resource of so many native speakers of other languages will allow a cultural benefit in working with other countries. English Plus will guarantee language rights, which would lower language-based discrimination

4. Financial Costs The costs to implement English Plus would be extensive, these would include: − Hiring translators for legal system − Interpreters for 911 service − Paying for multilingual medical services − Paying for multilingual employment training − Paying to translate and implement multilingual drivers license exams − Paying to translate all voting processes/ballots − Hiring/paying extra faculty at schools to teach bilingual education

5. Educational Implications Immigrant students would continue to learn in their native language while learning English, strengthen programs that teach English. If possible, two-way bilingual education will be used. Increase Adult Education programs for learning English. American students will learn to appreciate diversity and will be more fluent in other languages, immigrants will be fluent with English and their native tongue. −Multiple language skills benefit individuals in jobs, culturally, and psychologically. Bilingual teachers will need to be hired, bilingual education programs will need to be developed and implemented.

6. Effects on the National Economy Having a multilingual population would give America an advantage in dealing with other countries. −They will understand the culture better while working with them, can increase trade and global market −Foreign diplomacy will improve with greater fluency in other language and cultures −Members of society that are fluent in other languages can be more productive members of society (working, voting, running businesses, understanding laws and participating in social services/health care)

7. Having a multilingual society can increase resources for national security. For example: in Operation Desert Storm, the Department of Defense identified only 45 personnel with Iraqi language background. 5 of these people knew intelligence operations* Encouraging and assisting people who know other languages to maintain those languages will increase our knowledge base in world politics. This will help us increase intelligence and protect the nation and our allies better. *”Issues in U.S. Language Policy: English Plus” www.ourworld.com/compuserv.com/homepages/jwcrawford/engplus.htm www.ourworld.com/compuserv.com/homepages/jwcrawford/engplus.htm National Security

8. Conclusion English Plus is a good idea because it increases our resources in the United States, and it can improve the life of immigrants by allowing them access to all the rights English-speakers enjoy English Plus will be difficult to implement because it is expensive to pay for all the services necessary in all the languages it would need to be provided in