Sample Outline: Critique of Nath's "Shame Stopped Me from Learning Hindi as a Kid"

INTRODUCTION

• Hook or Inciting Idea:What would it be like to speak a different language than your grandmother?
• Background Context:Many people in Canada cannot speak to older relatives because they do not know their language.
• Main Source--author, title, one-sentence summary: In "Shame Stopped Me from Learning Hindi as a Kid," Ishani Nath explains that she did not learn Hindi as a child, but now feels that it is important for her to learn as an adult.
• Provisional Thesis:Nath's narrative is relevant and significant today because it shows how language and identity are connected, and how racism can affect second language learning.

SUMMARY

• Statement of issue/problem, thesis/message, reasons/narrative events: Nath did not learn Hindi as a child because she thought that it would make her feel like a foreigner even though she was born in Canada. Language is an important part of our identity and how we connect to our family and community. Her mother used to translate conversations between Nath and her grandmother. After her mother died, Nath felt it was important to learn Hindi.

RESPONSE (The following are three sample response paragraphs. You only need to write TWOparagraphs in the Research-Driven Critique Essay.)

• Segment 1: First claim critiquing the main source: Nath effectively shows how language and racial identity are interconnected.
  • Textual evidence from the main source: "Canadians viewed me as Indian, Indians viewed me as 'whitewashed' and I was unsure of which community I fit into, or if I fit into any. As a born-and-raised Canadian with Indian heritage, I felt incapable and, at times, ashamed of 'my' language" (para. 8).
  • Commentary: Confusion about racial identity is an issue that exists widely among second-generation immigrants. They usually speak two languages and try to meet two different cultural expectations in their daily life. Nath's recount about her experience is a reflection of the concerns from many of those who grow up with two cultures.
  • Textual evidence from research source(s):Todd (2014): "A quarter of British Columbians with ethnic Chinese or South Asian origins say they have experienced moderate or significant amounts of those types of discrimination in B.C. as a result of their ethnicity. In total, four in five report experiencing at least a small amount of such discrimination" (para. 2).
  • Commentary: Stereotpyes sometimes form against those who are from a different ethnic background. The language they speak, the food they eat, and the clothes they wear sometimes become the target of attack. As a result, some people decide to stay away from their heritage culture, just as Nath does.
  • Closing sentence: By elaborating on her personal experience, Nath successfully builds a connection with the audience and send her message across.
• Segment 2: Second claim critiquing the main source:Nath makes a strong point about how racial identity can cause barriers to second language learning.
  • Textual evidence from the main source:"My heart would race whenever the teacher gave instructions I didn't fully understand, or when they called on me to read out loud. ... [W]hen I spoke, the words always felt uncomfortably foreign (para. 6).
  • Commentary: Learning the language of the host country is a critical step towards integration into the new culture. An encouraging environment is essential for a learner to pick up a new language fast; otherwise, the learner will feel frustrated and ashamed, as Nath feels.
  • Textual evidence from research source(s): Cohen and Norst (1989): "The diaries also suggest that there is something fundamentally different about learning a language, compared to learning another skill or gaining other knowledge, namely, that language and self are so closely bound, if not identical, that an attack on one is an attack on the other" (p. 61).
  • Commentary: Language is the channel for one to express their ideas and emotions. It is the foundation of building self-identity. Not being able to express oneself will certainly lead to lack of confidence, which will cause frustration, isolation, and low self-esteem.
  • Closing sentence: The mention of the conflict that Nath went through certainly appeals to the audience's emotions, which helps Nath to drive home her message.
• Segment 3: Third claim critiquing the main source:Nath makes an important statement when she writes that learning Hindi is a way to overcome racism.
  • Textual evidence from the main source: "So, maybehowI speak isn't the issue, as much as is overcoming the internalized racism and shame that kept me silent (para. 39).
  • Commentary: Some people tend to forget about the significance of their cultural heritage. It is where they can gain confidence and find themselves. Only when they value their own culture can they start to gain a sense of belonging in the new culture.
  • Textual evidence from research source(s):Norton (2012): "SLA [second language acquisition] researchers who are interested in identity are interested not only in linguistic input and output in SLA, but in the relationship between the language learner and the larger social world. They question the view that learners can be defined in binary terms as motivated or unmotivated, introverted or extroverted, without considering that such affective factors are frequently socially constructed, changing across time and space, and possibly coexisting in contradictory ways within a single individual" (para. 1).
  • Commentary: Learning a new language is a complex process, where people learn at a difference pace. Understanding their motivation based on their life experience can help remove the barrier on their way to success.
  • Closing sentence: Nath's statement raises awareness about the identity issue experienced by immigrants. Meanwhile, it urges the society to be more open-minded and accepting.

CONCLUSION

• Restatement of the thesis in new words:Nath's narrative is important because it shows us how some second and third generation Canadians find their true identity through language, relationships, and community.
• New question(s):Does this narrative fit with other Canadians whose ancestors spoke a different language?
• Concluding statement:Nath's article shows that identity is never fixed: it changes with age, relationships, and life events.

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