RachelLee

Honors394A:LanguageThatBindsUs
FinalPaper
SooheeKim
11June2015

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ContinuingalongmyprocessoflearningmoreabouttheBurmeselanguage,Ihave
resolvedmanyquestionsregardingmaintenancepracticesandcommunityresourcesofferedto
Burmeserefugees.ByvisitingtheCoalitionforRefugeesfromBurma,Iwasabletoobservea
normaldayofactivitiesandlessonstaughttoadultsandchildren.Inordertoclearupthe
distinctionbetweenBurmeseandethnicminorities(KarenandChin),Iwasabletointerview
MonaHanwhoisthedirectoroftheCoalition.ShewasborninBurmaandidentifiesas
Burmese.Monawitnessesandinteractswithmanytypesofethnicminoritiesandhasheardeach
oftheiruniquestories.Iwasfortunateenoughtolearnmoreaboutherexperienceandthoughts
abouttheBurmeselanguage.Whileworkingwithmygroupmembersforthefinalpresentation,
Iwasabletolinkmanycharacteristicsandhistoricaleventstotheotherfocusoflanguages.At
thesametimetherewerealsokeydifferences.Therefore,Iwillbecoveringmyfindingsfrom
myinterviewwithMonaHan,experiencesobservingtheCoalitionforRefugeesfromBurma,
andkeysimilarities/differencesbetweentheBurmesecommunityIstudiedandmyteammates
communitiesthatIlearnedabout.
AsafollowuptotheonthegroundresearchandobservationsessionattheCoalitionfor
RefugeesfromBurma,IwasabletoconductaninterviewwithMonaHanwhoistheexecutive
director.SheistheonlystaffmemberinthisorganizationwhocanspeakBurmese.Throughout
thesession,Ilearnedmoreabouttheresources,lessons,plans,aswellastheprogramsofferedto
Burmeserefugees.Atthesametime,IwasabletoaskpersonalquestionsabouttheBurmese
languageandmaintenancepracticesintheSeattlearea.Themostinterestingthingaboutthe
interviewwashowwelcomingandsincereMonawaswhenIaskedherthequestions.
Beforehand,IwasnervousbecauseIdidnotwanttobetooinvasiveofherprivacywhenasking

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thesequestions.However,shewasveryexpressivewithheranswersandeveninvitedmeto
comeintotheorganizationagaintoteachstudents.Inthemiddleoftheinterview,Italkedto
heraboutmyownconnectiontotheBurmesecultureandhowmyfatheralsoattendedthesame
universityasshedid.Shewasshockedbutalsosurprisedbecausethereisagoodchancethatshe
mayknowmyfather.Fortherestoftheinterview,Ifeltmoreconnectedandwelcomed
knowingthatIhavearesourceandplaceIcangotolearnmoreaboutmyheritagelanguage.
Inordertogetabettersenseofwhattheorganizationstandsforandwhattheyoffer,I
askedMonaabouttheprogramsofferedandwhatexactlythemissionandgoalsareforthese
Burmeserefugees.Inherresponse,alltheprogramsofferedareeducationalbased.Everyone
whocomestotheprogramsandservicesarestudents,butthereisawidespectrum.Thereare
adultrefugees,aswellasstudentsfromtheK12agegroup.Asforthelocations,theyonlyoffer
theseservicesattwoschools.ThisincludestheRentonandKentpublicschools.Atthese
locations,theyhelpstudentswithhomework,academics,summerprograms,leadership
programs,testpreparation,andcollegeaccess.Keepinmind;resourcesarelimitedasthey
mostlyruntheseserviceswiththehelpofvolunteers.Theytrytheirbesttooffertheseservicesto
thosewholiveintheSeattleschooldistrict.However,sinceeveryoneissospreadout,theycan
onlyfindinhometutorsandmatchthemindividuallywithstudents.Theytraintutorsandgointo
thehomesofstudentsandworkwiththeirhomework,lessons,orareasofneed.Toclarify,the
lessonsandaidofferedbytutorsareofferedasELL(Englishlanguagelearners).Thiswillmake
moresenseasItalkmoreaboutmaintenancepracticesandwhyBurmeseisnotofferedasa
languagetaughtatthiscoalitionandgenerallyinareasofSeattle.

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Branchingofffromthemissionofthisorganization,Iaskedmoreaboutthe
demographicsandskillsetsofstudentswhocomeintoutilizethesesources.Therearethree
mainprogramsoffered,thefamilyliteracyprogram,youthprogram,andthenewlifeliteracy
program.Allthreeoftheseprogramsfocusonlanguagelearningbyallowingeachlanguage
learnertofeelcomfortableinthenewlearningenvironment.Manyoftheserefugeefamiliesare
unawareorlacktheexperienceandresourcesfortheiryoungchildren.Inordertoovercome
theseeducationalbarriers,parentsreceiveESLinstruction,whileyoungpreschoolagechildren
receiveschoolreadinessinstruction.Parentsarealsoincludedinthisclassinteractionasthey
comeinforthefirsthalfofclasstoobserveandgetasenseofhowtheirchildrenarelearning.
Theyaretaughttheskills,butalsotheylearnwaystoengageandeducatetheirchildrenathome
sincemanyparentsareilliterateanddontspeakEnglish.Thisincludesclasssongsthat
incorporateEnglish,butalsoBurmesephrases.Whenvisitingtheschool,Iwasabletoobserve
classinstructionforthefamilyliteracyprogram.Themostintriguingthingwashowthecoalition
incorporatesculturebutalsotheinstructionofEnglish.Theycherishtheideaofchildren
maintainingsignificantkeywordsintheBurmeselanguage.
MovingontolanguageacquisitionandcommunitygroupsinSeattle,IaskedMonaabout
theBurmeselanguageandwhetherornotitistaughtformallyorinformallyinWashington
(specificallytheSeattlearea).Assheexpressedthelackofresources,themainthingisthatthe
BurmeselanguageisnottaughtorspokenbecausemostBurmeserefugeeswhoresidehereareof
ethnicminorities.Mostofthemarelevel1orlevel2inEnglish,andtheydontspeakBurmese
becausetheyareofethnicminoritieswhohavebeeninasixtyyearwarinBurma.Fromthe
KarentotheChin,thesearethemajorityoftheethnicminoritieswhoutilizeresourceslikethe

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Coalition.Forexample,theKarenteachestheirownlanguage,whichisadialectofBurmese.
ManyethnicminoritieswerenotallowedtousetheirlanguagebecausetheBurmesemajority
oppressedtheminority.Theycouldonlyusetheirethniclanguageinrefugeecamps.This
resonatedwithme,becauseIwasabletolinkMonasreferencetolanguagemaintenancetomy
fathersexperienceoflosingtouchwithCantonesesincehewasbasicallyforcedtolearn
Burmesebythegovernment.Overall,therearenoclassesthatofferBurmeselanguages.
Althoughthecoalitiontriestomaintainthecultureandprospectsofthelanguage,themain
barrieristhehesitanceoftherefugees.AsMonastated,thetrickythingisthatthemilitaristic
governmenthasoppressedtherefugeessotheydontwanttolearnthelanguagefromthe
oppressor.ThisissimilartoJewslearningfromtheNazis,thereisthisemotionaldetachment
andIcanseeitintheirfacialexpressions,theydontevenwanttobecalledBurmesethey
identifyasKarenorChin.WhenhearingthisfromMona,Iwasabletoconnectthiswithan
articlecalledBurmeseLives:OrdinaryLifeStoriesundertheBurmeseRegime,aboutafirst
personstoryofaBurmeseimmigrantnamedTaKweDay.Asheaccountshisexperience,he
expressesthedangerousconflictsthatforcedmanyBurmesepeopleintorefugeecamps.Many
wereprohibitedfromspeakingtheirethniclanguages.TaKweSayisofKarendescent,andhe
recallshowhehadtobeverycarefulnottoletpeopleknowwho[he]was.[He]hadtohide
[his]identity.Thisundercoveridentitywasnotthelifethatmanychildrenorparentswanted;
theywereinsearchofabetterlife.ThisiswhymanyBurmeseimmigrantsareresettling
permanentlytoplacesintheUnitedStatestobeabletostartfresh,seekeducationopportunities,
andmostofalllivefreelyintheirownethnicidentitieswithoutshameorbarriers.
Whenhearingthisdistastefromrefugees,Icouldnthelpbutfeelsaddenedbutalsoata

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lossforwords.IknewaboutthebackgroundoftheeventsthathappenedinBurmaandhow
manyethnicgroupswereoppressed,butIneverthoughttolinkthattolanguageacquisitionand
maintenance.TothinkthattheBurmeselanguageisnotasrelevantortaughtinareaslikeSeattle
becauseoftheeventsthathappenedinhistoryisshockingbutalsoveryreal.Manyofthese
refugeeswhomovetotheU.Scameheretorunawayfromtheoppressorsandlivefreelyby
speakingtheirownethniclanguages.Theywererestrictedfromspeakingtheirethniclanguages
forsolong,thattheyassociatetheBurmeselanguagewithdistaste,insteadofalanguagetobe
cherished.Individualslikemewhohavenotexperiencedtheseeventsfirsthandcantrelate,butI
havealwayswantedtolearntheBurmeselanguagetofeelmoreconnectedtomyheritage.I
couldnthelpbutaskMonaiftherewereanyotherresourcesforpeoplelikemetogetatraceor
linktotheBurmeselanguage.ItturnsoutthatthereareBuddhistmonasteriesthatusedtoteach
Burmeseclasses.Volunteersranit,butitcouldntbemaintained.Therearealsoethnicchurches
thatteachchildrenthelanguagetokeepthelanguagealive.However,mostofthemareofChin
andKarenminorities.Ultimately,theBurmeselanguageisnotformallytaught,butifonewas
interested,thereisthepossibilityoffindingaprivatetutororanativespeakerwhoiswillingto
teachit.LookingbackatallthatIhavelearned,iftherewasanotherpersonlikemewhowas
interestedinlearningtheBurmeselanguage,Iwouldlookintocommunitygroupsand
organizations.However,Ialsothinkfamilymemberssuchasparentswhoknowthelanguage
playacriticalroleinexposingthelanguagetothechild.AsIaskedmyfatheraboutthis,he
expressedhowlearningthelanguagebybooksorstudyaidsisdifficult.Ittakespractice,
repetition,butmostofallexposure.WhatImeanbyexposureistheactofconversation,butalso
culture.Itcanbedifficultforparentstoteachthelanguagesincetheymaynothavetheskills

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orresourcestodoso.ThisiswhyIbelievecommunitygroupslikethecoalitionisagreat
resource.Eventhoughitisanorganizationthatfocusesontheresettlingofrefugees,manyofthe
membersandrefugeestherewelcomeseveryonewithopenarms.
Towrapuptheinterview,IaskedMonaaboutheropinionofheritagelanguageandthe
prospectsoftheBurmeselanguage.SheexplainedhowmanyBurmeseimmigrantsmigratedto
theU.S.fortheirchildrentogotoschoolandreceiveaqualityeducation.Parentssendtheir
childrentolanguageclassesiftheywantthemtolearnscriptures.Inheropinion,languageis
importantifaparentwantstoraisehisorherchildinaparticularculture,religion,or
tradition.WhenthinkingabouttheBurmeselanguageandwhetherithasdiedout,she
describedhowthereare60millionpeoplespeakingBurmeseinBurma.Theethniclanguagesare
dyingout.Burmaanthropologistsusedtosaythattherewere135differentethniclanguages
(tribes).But,afterassimilationtobiggercitiesthesesmallerlanguagesdiedout.Aslongasthe
countryisspeakingitastheofficiallanguage,thenthereisaverysmallchancethatitwilldie
out.However,whenlookingatregionallocations,theBurmeselanguageisrelativelysmall.
ManyethnicminoritiesmovetoplacesliketheUnitedStatestobeabletoembraceandspeak
theirethniclanguages.ThisisoneofthereasonswhytheBurmeselanguageissosmallinareas
likeSeattle,becausethemajorityofthepopulationisofKarenorChindescent.
MyexperiencevisitingtheCoalitionforRefugeesfromBurmaputintoperspectivehow
studentslearnandparticipateindailyactivities.Iwasabletoobservehowrefugeeslearn
English,andwitnesssnippetsoftheBurmeselanguageincorporatedaswell.Inmyvideo
recording,Iwasabletocapturesnippetsofeachoftheprogramsprovidedforadultsaswellas
children.ThefirstpartofthevideoincludestheNewLifeLiteracyprogramforadults.Frommy

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observation,Iwasabletoseehowteachersutilizeresourceslikeletterblocks,grids,andliteracy
laddermethodstohelpadultslearnEnglishinaformalclassroomsetting.Inthelessonsgiven,I
noticedhowlisteningskillsandrepetitionwereusedtohelplearnersbemoreawareandusedto
thesoundsandphrases.Throughthesebuildingblocksandsupportsystemsfromteachers,these
adultrefugeestudentsareabletoachievelevel1ESLbybridgingtheknowledgegaps,
establishinglisteningskills,andbuildingthebuildingsblocksforreadingandwriting.Oneofthe
mostinterestingthingswashowopenandencouragingeachteacherwaswhenworkingwith
studentsonaonetoonebasis.TheywouldacknowledgeeachofthelearnersbytheirBurmese
names,andevensayphrasessuchasgoodjobortryagaininBurmese.Itwasclearthat
whiletheyweretakingtheefforttoteachthesestudents,theywerealsolearningthelanguage
andcultureoftheserefugees.Itwasasharedconnection,andIcouldseehowtherelationship
wasmuchmorethanjustateachertostudentbond.
IncontrasttotheNewLifeLiteracyprogram,Iwasalsogiventheopportunitytoobserve
theFamilyLiteracyProgram.Thisprogramservesbothpreschoolagedchildrenaswellas
parents.Beforestartingthelessonfortheday,theteacherengagesstudentsbysingingsongsthat
incorporateBurmesewordsandphrases.Asseeninthevideo,theclasssangHereWeAre
Together.Parentsarealsopresentduringthistimetohelpengagetheirchildandmakesurethat
theyarecomfortablebeforetheyleavetheroomforthesecondhalfofclass.Theconceptof
thesesingalongsongsisknownasPACTtime;thismeansparentsandchildrentogetheras
childrenareengagedinmanydifferenttypesofplaysuchasdrawingandcoloringbeforestarting
thelessonoftheday.Bothparentsandchildrenparticipate,butchildrenarespecificallyseated
nexttotheteacherbysittingonsquaremats.Duringplaytimeandthelessonplans,whatIfound

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interestingwashowengagedeachofthechildrenwere.Theteachermadesureeachstudent
wouldparticipatebycallingthembytheirBurmesenames,andreassuringeachoneevenifone
wasshy.Ultimately,frommyobservationattheCoalition,Ihavenoticedhowclassroomsare
focusedonlearningtheEnglishlanguage.However,Ihavealsonoticedparentsandchildren
maintainingtheirminoritylanguageswhetheritsKarenorChinoutsideofschool.TheCoalition
forRefugeesfromBurmaisaresourceforchildrenandadultstofeelwelcomedandsafe.Also,it
isaplacethatencouragesonetoexploretheenvironment,trynewthings,bestrong,andbe
creative.
Comparingmyinformationwithmyteammatescommunitieswasaneyeopening
experiencebecauseIneverthoughttolinkvariouscommunitiesassimilarinsomeaspectsbut
alsodifferent.Forexample,whenconcludingaboutthefutureofourcommunities,identitywas
somethingwealltouchedupon.DesexpressedhowthefutureofSamoansinAmericaispositive
andgrowingbecausefamilyandidentityplaysahugepartinreachingthecriticalmass.Inthe
communitiesofBengaliandCantonese,havingastrongidentitylinkstohighmaintenance
prospects.WhenlinkingthisalltogetherwithBurmese,weallexpressedhowlanguageis
important,butthepresenceofcultureandtraditionisequallyimportantinonesidentityand
associationwithaspecificcommunity.Asforthedifferences,methodsofmaintenancevary
widelybasedonthespectrumofthenumberofspeakers,butalsoresourcesandcommunity
groupsavailability.Forexample,Samoanisthelanguageoftheeldersasrelativesrefertomany
peoplebyaigaevenifthatpersonwasnotrelated.Thisextendstolanguage,asthecommunity
aspectofSamoanisverystrong.IfounditreallyinterestinghowDesbroughtupOmaiFaatasi
andtheideaofcomingtogetherandunity.ManySamoansexpressprideintheirculture,andI

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findthistrueinBurmesewhenIvisitedtheCoalition.Studentsandparentswereveryclearabout
identifyingtheirethnicgroupsandcommunities,astherewasnoshamebutratherpride.Asfor
Bengalithemotivationsvaryfromstudyabroadforbusiness,improvingheritagelanguageskills,
andspeakingwithfamily,whileCantonesehasanabundanceofCantoneselanguagemediaeven
whenChineselanguageschoolsfavorMandarin.Overall,thestatusofeachofthecommunities
differs,aseachcommunityhasdifferentmotivations.But,thepresenceofthecommunityisvery
strongbecauseoffamilialties.

Works Cited
"Forced to Flee: Visual Stories by Refugee Youth from Burma." Kickstarter. Web. 02 June 2015.
Rhoden, T. F., and T. L. S. Rhoden. Burmese Refugees: Letters from the Thai-Burmese Border. United
States. Digital Lycanthrope, 2011. Print.
Tagliacozzo, Eric, Wen-Chin Chang, and Mandy Sadan. Burmese Lives: Ordinary Life Stories under
the Burmese Regime. Print.