Academic literature on the topic 'Second-generation immigrant learners'

English language learners’ nonparticipation and reticence in adult literacy classes are often presented problematically from a deficit lens of student resistance and disengagement. This article draws from an ethnographic case study of Generation 1 learners, who are defined as adult-arrival immigrant learners, transitioning from an adult English as a Second Language class to a developmental literacy class. By examining learners’ resistance through a framework of agency enactment, the study bridges the fields of adult literacy and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, both of which support adult-arrival immigrants entering the U.S. education system. The resulting analysis illustrates how Generation 1 learners’ acts of resistance can be complex presentations of their literacy identities and their engagement in classroom literacy practices.

This study investigates the participation in the California Vowel Shift by Korean Americans in Los Angeles. Five groups of subjects participated in a picture narrative task: first-, 1.5-, and second-generation Korean Americans, Anglo-Californians, and (non-immigrant) Korean late learners of English. Results showed a clear distinction between early vs. late bilinguals; while the first-generation Korean Americans and the late learners showed apparent signs of Korean influence, the 1.5- and the second-generation Korean Americans participated in most patterns of the California Vowel Shift. However, divergence from the Anglo-Californians was observed in early bilinguals’ speech. Similar to the late bilinguals, the 1.5-generation speakers did not systematically distinguish prenasal and non-prenasal /æ/. The second-generation speakers demonstrated a split-/æ/ system, but it was less pronounced than for the Anglo-Californians. These findings suggest that age of arrival has a strong effect on immigrant minority speakers’ participation in local sound change. In the case of the second-generation Korean Americans, certain patterns of the California Vowel Shift were even more pronounced than for the Anglo-Californians (i.e., /ɪ/-lowering, /ɑ/-/ɔ/ merger, /ʊ/- and /ʌ/-fronting). Moreover, the entire vowel space of the second-generation Korean Americans, especially female speakers, was more fronted than that of the Anglo-Californians. These findings suggest that second-generation Korean Americans may be in a more advanced stage of the California Vowel Shift than Anglo-Californians or the California Vowel Shift is on a different trajectory for these speakers. Possible explanations in relation to second-generation Korean Americans’ intersecting gender, ethnic, and racial identities, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

For the last decade, college campuses across the United States have witnessed an influx of U.S.-educated nonnative speakers of English. Many of these students come to postsecondary institutions with almost nativelike communicative competence yet marginal literacy skills. This mismatch in proficiency has proved to be a daunting challenge to ESL and composition faculty. Furthermore, few researchers have examined the linguistic needs of this population, creating a gap in our knowledge of how best to intervene with these students. Generation 1.5 Meets College Composition: Issues in the Teaching of Writing to U.S.-Educated Learners of ESLis one of the first attempts to fill that void. This noteworthy volume brings together the current research on U.S.-educated learners of ESL, or Generation 1.5, a reference to U.S.-educated immigrant students who are caught somewhere between the cultural and linguistic experiences of the first and second generations.

Background/Context Children from Asian ethnic backgrounds currently constitute the second largest group of child immigrants in the United States. Although stereotyped as model minority students due to their academic and economic success, studies have revealed that many Asian immigrant students struggle in school. Research has also shown that, compared to child immigrants from an Indo-European language background such as Spanish and French, Asian child immigrants experience more challenges in learning English as a second language (L2) due to greater cross-linguistic differences. However, little is known about the long-term English language outcomes of first-generation Asian child immigrants. Purpose/Objective The present study examines the effects of learner-level and input-level factors on first-generation Asian child immigrants’ long-term English outcomes. Research Design Data for the current study are selected from a larger correlational and cross-sectional study that examined the effect of the age of arrival variable on Chinese immigrants’ English L2 outcomes. We used two criteria to select participants from the larger study: (1) those who had arrived in the United States between the ages of 5 to 18 (to qualify as a “child immigrant”), and (2) those who had resided in the United States for at least 10 years (to examine long-term outcomes). These criteria resulted in the current sample of 69 participants. The English language proficiency data include participants’ phonological production ratings, performances on a grammaticality judgment task, and their self-ratings of English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Conclusions/Recommendations The current study showed a complex interplay of factors affecting former child immigrants’ English L2 acquisition. Although age of arrival played a critical role in their L2 learning outcomes, it exerted varying degrees of influence by L2 domain. Age of arrival was a strong predictor of L2 phonological production, grammar knowledge, and oral language proficiency, but not literacy skills. L2 input, language learning aptitude, and child immigrants’ affective status also contributed to their L2 outcomes, and carried more weight than age of arrival. We interpreted the results to be in line with the multiple sensitive period hypothesis in developmental psycholinguistics research. The results also suggested that literacy is not susceptible to age-related effects in the same way in which oral language and more specifically the phonological and syntactic systems are. Literacy as a cultural construct rather than a biologically unique human system is intensively taught throughout the school years and curriculum. Malleable factors, such as instruction and reading strategies, are thus perhaps more important in determining child immigrants’ long-term literacy outcomes.

Abstract This paper explored the value of learner’s stories for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers’ teaching and research through a narrative inquiry of the lived English learning experience of a first generation Canadian immigrant. It first reviewed the concept of narrative and the significance of launching narrative inquiry. Then, it presented an interview conducted with the Canadian immigrant as a model of narrative inquiry. Themes of the narrative interview were found to resonate with theoretical issues of SLE (Second Language Education), ESL and SLA (Second Language Acquisition). Considering the themes and the entire interviewing process, this paper closed with a discussion of the benefits of narrative inquiry for ESL teachers’ teaching and research.

Abstract Asians are the largest and the fastest growing segment of the world population. Asian immigrants are the second largest immigrant population in the U.S. However, age-related social and health issues are understudied among late-life immigrant and the oldest old Asians. Little data exist to support public health promotion, policy studies and clinical practice in this population. To advance research into aging among Asians living in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, sound methodologies can be adopted from those well-developed in other settings while novel methodologies are to be developed to meet the unique needs of Asian studies. This symposium brings together four abstracts that address a variety of common methodological issues in social and health studies among Asian older adults. The topics range from culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies for recruiting non-English speaking research participants, assessment of social isolation and transportation barriers using an ethnographical approach, development of a new culturally appropriate measure for successful aging among the oldest old Chinese in China, and evaluation of preventive healthcare use among faith-based first-generation Chinese immigrants using self-administered surveys in the U.S. These studies involve qualitative ethnographical analysis, mixed methods for instrument development, quantitative data analysis, use of geographic information systems and demography to plan participant recruitment, and use of staged community engagement to increase efficiency and representativeness of participant recruitment. Lessons learned from these studies are valuable to future studies on aging among Asians. This symposium is a collaborative effort of the GSA Aging Among Asians Interest Group.

Background The increase in the number of Black immigrants and other immigrant populations has undoubtedly changed the landscape of educational spaces. In fact, in 2016, 8% of Blacks were second generation Americans. Although Black immigrants may share similar experiences to native born African Americans, there are markedly distinct cultural influences that shape their educational experiences. Both racialized and cultural experiences come to play a major role in how students experience schooling in the U.S. The relationship that Black immigrant families have with schools and teachers can impact immigrant children's well-being and inform teachers. Therefore, it is important that Black immigrant families and schools create lasting relationships grounded in a respect for language, culture, race, and county of origin. Purpose/Objective/Research Question I use the insights from discussions with one Black immigrant family from Senegal who participated in an after-school critical literacy workshop where relationships were built among parents, students, and educators. Although there is an extensive body of literature on Black immigrants in the U.S., this research will contribute to filling the gap concerning how Black immigrant parents can be supported in serving as agents of socialization as their children come to understand the way race functions in the United States and how other parents, teachers, and curricula can be informed through discussions with them. This study is guided by the following question: What can be learned about the role of an after-school critical literacy workshop in creating a space for a Senegalese immigrant family to engage in discussions with their children, other families, and teachers as they react to race and violence in the U.S.? Research Design/Data Collection and Analysis Throughout the course of the project, students’ participation was documented through field notes, research memos, and audio and video recordings of family workshop meetings. Classroom data in the form of children's writing samples, written response journaling, and visual responses (sketch to stretch) were also collected. The study included in-depth interviews with student participants at the conclusion of the workshop. Parents completed a survey to share their experiences. Data were uploaded to Dedoose to identify codes. Findings/Results Three themes refected how the critical literacy workshop enhanced the family's ability to prepare their children for a racialized society and inform other children, families, and teachers: (a) transnational literacies were important in building racial and heritage knowledge for the children, (b) children's literature and film opened spaces for conversation that allowed the family to inform other parents about racial injustices and the importance of African heritage pride and also informed the classroom teacher about the need for discussing colorism in his classroom, and (c) transnational literacies and talk about anti-Blackness occurred within a supportive environment. Conclusions/Implications When the after-school critical literacy workshop affirmed a Black immigrant family in their “Black thinking” and sociopolitical consciousness, they were able to articulate their feelings about racist acts and violence and the need for African heritage pride. Findings corroborate the studies that argue for the value of teaching about contemporary movements such as #BlackLivesMatter and the importance of honoring the voices of Black immigrant youth and families in curricular spaces.

Abstract This study investigated levels of communicative anxiety (CA) among three generations of Korean immigrants (i.e., first, 1.5, and second generation) in Australia. A survey asking about their levels of CA in Korean (i.e., heritage language) and in English (i.e., majority language) was completed by 137 Korean immigrants. Some of the survey respondents participated in the open-ended questions and interviews, which asked about anxiety-arousing situations and coping strategies. Overall, all three generations of Koreans showed very low levels of CA in Korean. Regarding CA in English, the first-generation group showed a moderate level of anxiety whereas the second-generation group showed a very low level of anxiety. The 1.5-generation group revealed relatively low levels, but still ‘some’ degree of CA in both Korean and English. Among many contexts, public speaking provoked the most anxiety, both in Korean and English, and for all three generations. Various linguistic and socio-emotional reasons interplayed, and strategies similar to those used by successful foreign or second language learners were reported.

Our paper has two goals. First we review the state of multilingualism in the world today, with a particular emphasis on Europe which was the cradle of foreign education many centuries ago and has remained the leader in this field. There is no doubt that bi- and multi-lingualism characterize successful people of the XXI century, while the confinement to one language can be seen as a personal and social handicap or a socialization problem. We argue next, that the growing bilingual potential should be analyzed as integral part of bicultural personality of our time. Whether we speak native or second language, we participate in cultural communication. Language is not just a multilevel linguistic structure but also part and parcel of its culture, the warehouse of its meanings and history. Learning a language one acquires its culture. In this context we set research questions pertaining to the language ↔ cultural values and identity mutuality: Which and under what conditions impacts the other? Two studies were conducted by the second author on Polish-French bilingualism and bicultural identity of Romanesque university students and immigrants of two generations in France and Belgium. Opposite to our hypotheses, there was no evidence for mutual reinforcement of linguistic proficiency and cultural identity. French language skills among Romanesque students were low but their idealistic French identity was high. Polish cultural identity was dominant, over French, among second generation immigrant youths. We explain these results referring to theories of idealized identity and nostalgia. We conclude with recommendations, that second language teaching should not only be intertwined with general culture learning but also should convey realistic and not idealized versions of other cultural worlds. Extending learner’s identity, rather than replacing one by the other should be the goal of bilingual education. Keywords: socialization, education, multiculturalism, multilingualism, values, cultural symbols.

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