Originally Posted by MamaJA
Originally Posted by Elisa
You should know that learning a language has nothing to do with intelligence.

Yes! Or not knowing a language:

When my father was a boy and came over from Germany to the US, he was administered an IQ test which he failed miserably. Then the testers realized that he didn't know the language. Come to find out, he is profoundly gifted...just didn't know English then.

I'll share too: Dh was raised in a very low socioeconomic neighborhood. He didn't learn English until he went to school (NYC public). I am not aware of there being ESL classes at that time (early 70's), though I don't really know. He actively tried to forget his first language due to the stigma that was attached at that time. His mother believed in the value of education, and pushed him to take the test for Hunter College High School when he was in fifth grade (usual grade). He was accepted, and later went on to become quite successful. I've seen at least one of his standardized test scores and can vouch for his IQ wink.

Last edited by snowgirl; 05/04/10 12:59 PM.