Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue”
JOURNAL PROMPT: Please choose one of the following options for the journal prompt and
write a half-page response
Choose one quotation of passage from “Mother Tongue” to which you can relate and explain how
that quotation or passage plays a role in your life.
OR
Choose a passage with which you do not agree and explain how your opinion differs from Tan’s.
Paideia Seminar1 Questions: Please review the following core questions and think of how you
would answer these questions. DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWER. This is an oral exercise that will
take place in the classroom. Every person will be responsible for speaking twice during tomorrow’s
seminar.
CORE QUESTIONS
1) Amy Tan is uncomfortable with the term “broken English” because it suggests that it is
“damaged” and “needs to be fixed”. Do you agree that this term is unfair and limits an
individual? Do you believe this term can change one’s perception of another like it did for
Tan and her mother?
2) Do you, like Tan, use different forms of English? What does this do for your development as
an individual?
3) Why do you believe people are treated differently (for example, Tan’s mother) based on
language abilities? How does this treatment affect them?
4) Tan was steered away from English classes and writing because it was not considered her
strong suit2. Do you believe this happens to most people in one way or another? Do you
believe this to be good or detrimental3 to their personal growth?
1
Paideia Seminar is a discussion based on questions. It is called the Socratic method and was named after the great philosopher,
Socrates
2
Strong suit is an idiom. Strong suit = greatest strength.
3
Detrimental (de-truh-MEN-tl) = damaging
5) Tan was told many times that writing was her “worst skill”, yet she became a very successful
author. Besides her “rebellious nature” what do you believe pushed her to pursue4 her dreams
against all odds and hardships
6) What do you consider a “master of the English language”? Do you believe it is better to fully
master one language or be proficient in several languages?
7) Tan mentions several things language ability tests were unable to reveal: intent5, passion,
imagery6, rhythms of speech, and nature of thoughts. If I were only to assess your language
skills through testing, what things about you –as a student or person—would I never discover?
8) Do you believe a parent’s language limitations can hinder7 a child’s possibilities?
CLOSING QUESTION: Every person is required to orally answer this question
What is one thing you would like me to know about you? It can be about your hobbies, language
abilities, talents, or personal life.
4
Pursue (per-SOO) = to strive to gain
Intent (in-TENT) = purpose
6
Imagery (IM-ij-ree) = mental pictures
7
Hinder (HIN-der) = to delay
5