Exploring Translanguaging And Identity Among Jordanian Graduate Students In Ontario, Mohamad Almashour

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the use of translanguaging strategies by Jordanian graduate students in Ontario, Canada, as a means of adjusting to the local language and culture. It further scrutinizes the influence of these practices on their identities. The study also probes into the potential opportunities and impediments that these students may encounter in higher educational establishments in Ontario.

Data collection was accomplished through semi-structured online interviews, which were subject to qualitative analysis to respond to the research queries. The analytical process was grounded in a theoretical framework combining sociocultural theory, critical literacy, and language ecology, thereby offering a profound understanding …

Acculturation Of Hispanics/Latinos And Its Impact On Public Relations Through The Framework Of Secondary Research, Angela Trejos - Villacres

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hispanics and Latinos are the largest growing minority in the United States. Despite this, they are less likely to be targeted for public relations (PR) campaigns. Through secondary research of previous literature on the subject, it was established that PR does not implement strategies to address this population successfully. This project aimed to investigate the importance of acculturation, cultural representation, language, and media selection for effective PR practices. Then, a modified PR model was presented for professionals to adopt while targeting this ethnic group.

The Changes To Cultural Identity In Expatriates And Their Effects On The Efl Community, Kelly Nault

MA TESOL Collection

Expatriates are a group of unique individuals in terms of cultural identity. This paper will first look at the research on expats in-depth and explore the question of what defines cultural identity. Then, it will look into the reality facing expatriates and the formation and the evolution of their cultural identity. Lastly, it will look at how the assumptions about expatriates' cultural identity impact the EFL teaching community.

Acculturation Experiences Of Asian Indian Immigrant Math And Science Teachers In A K-12 Urban School District In Ohio, Loveleen Sharma-Chopra

ETD Archive

The study examined the acculturation experiences of Asian Indian immigrant math and science teachers in a K-12 urban school district. The study was preceded by a pilot study in 2008 to develop a protocol for dissertation, which examined the acculturation experiences of professional Asian Indian females and cultural values conflict in the United States. The current research investigated if being a math or science teacher in an urban school district has influenced the participants’ acculturation process in the United States. Framed in social constructivism theory, the researcher used the phenomenological approach to investigate the meaning-making process of immigrant professional teachers …

Re-Evaluating Bilingual Education Within The U.S. Public Education System, Stephanie Nunez`

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the potential of bilingual education for the future of American (U.S.) democratic society. It places an assessment of bilingualism in the larger history of the relationship between education and a vision of American democracy. The research focuses on the importance of being multilingual for a democratic society, and argues why bilingual education should be made available to students during the elementary years of their education. This study analyzes the state of California’s educational policies and concludes that viewing bilingual education through assimilationist lenses hinders students’ character and professional opportunity. It promotes acculturation and accommodation without assimilation as …

The Impacts Of Acculturation Patterns And Processes On Immigrants' Success In Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study Of 1.25-Generation Third-Wave Iranian Immigrants To The United States, Fereshteh Rezaeian

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States of America is inherently a pluralistic society composed of various groups of immigrants. As scholars (Camarota & Zeigler, 2016; Gibson, 1998) state, the number of immigrant children accounts for 20% of the total number of school-age children. Despite all attempts to provide the best education to such a great number of immigrant students, the achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant students still exists (Baum & Flores, 2011; Rong & Preissle, 2008). Some scholars (e.g., Ramos & Sanchez, 1995) have proposed that the key factor for immigrants to be successful in the United States is to adapt to …

An Exploratory Study Of Acculturation Experiences Of Graduate Student Immigrants At The University Of San Francisco, Courtney Lamar

Master's Theses

This study explores the shared challenges during the acculturation process of graduate student immigrants pursuing higher education in the United States. 13 graduate student immigrants at the University of San Francisco discuss their experiences of cultural adjustment into U.S. culture. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this study seeks to understand the acculturation experiences of graduate student immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States. This analysis is based on the individual-level experience examining attitudes and acculturation strategies in the dominant society. Analysis, possibly policy implication for institutions of higher education, and possible directions for future research …

A Study Of Acculturative And Linguistic Experiences Of Syrian Refugees In The United States From 2011 – 2018, Amany Habib

Dissertations

Research examining the acculturation and linguistic processes of Syrian refugees resettling in the United States from 2011 – 2018 is limited. In order to learn about the acculturative and linguistic experiences of this unique group of refugees, the current study sought to collect data related to these two experiences within the resettled Syrian refugee population living in the U.S.A. since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Acquiring the language of a host country is necessary but language-learning experiences vary depending on a number of factors. This research attempted to elucidate the challenges of Syrian refugees in their …

Promoting Cultural Identity Through Dance/Movement Therapy With Immigrant Children, Karen Alejandra Salazar

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The present research project focuses on exploring how culture influences identity and how the development of a bicultural identity affects bicultural individuals. Having a multicultural or multiethnic identity could be a source of strength and/or confusion, bicultural individuals may have difficulties in identifying and sorting their group membership status and their cultural attitudes, values, perspectives, and behaviors (Navarrete & Jenkins, 2011). The present research proposes that dance movement therapy and the Expressive Therapies could serve as a means to allow individuals to explore and strengthen their cultural identity. A cultural identity workshop was implemented with second grade, English language learner, …

Empowering Students To Develop L2 Identity - Supplemental Online Lessons, Laura Espino

Master's Projects and Capstones

As an immigrant, learning English is part of acculturating to the new culture. From this process, a new identity emerges in the context of the new language and culture. Currently, identity issues and intercultural competence are explicit objectives in language learning. The implications of neglecting identity formation in second language acquisition include vulnerability to culture shock, mental health issues, and the inability to thrive. The unique set of needs, motivations, and strengths of immigrant English language learners should inform language instruction design in order to achieve sustainable and equitable successful language learning and acculturation. Explicitly designing instruction that incorporates issues …

Congolese Refugee Students In Higher Education: Equity And Opportunity, Refik Sadiković

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore Congolese refugee students’ experiences in higher education in the United States. In order to understand the challenges Congolese students face in higher education, this study used narrative inquiry methodology to investigate Congolese students’ lived experiences that affected their educational endeavors before and after resettlement to the United States. The study examined personal stories of 10 Congolese students in the Pacific Northwest using semi-structured in-depth interviews, one-on-one follow-up interviews, field notes and two focus group interviews. Using narrative analysis five reoccurring themes were identified and discussed in the findings. The study findings indicate …

The Influence Of The Heritage Language On The Cultural Integration Of Second-Generation Hispanic Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study, Camille Schuler

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the influence of the heritage language on the cultural integration of 10 second-generation Hispanic adolescents, ages 15-19. Data were collected using in-depth interviews that asked participants to share their experiences with their heritage language, and in what situations they found themselves feeling more Hispanic, more American, and more bicultural, when speaking their heritage language. Participants also shared the formal course of language study they chose, such as Spanish, Heritage Spanish, and AP Spanish Language, why they chose it, and how that choice influenced their perceptions of the heritage language and their cultural integration. Berry’s (2005) Acculturation …

Acculturation And Belongingness: The Keys To International Student Satisfaction, Semehar Ghebrekidan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to explore if acculturation in conjunction with belongingness, affected international student satisfaction. With the changes in immigration, the political climate as a whole and college campus demographics, it was important to evaluate what stress factors international students faced while being undergraduate students at a Midwestern University. In addition to using secondary research, primary research was conducted in the form of 4 interviews and 59 electronic surveys. The independent variables that were measured were reorganized into 2 categories: the students’ religious beliefs and the country where the student is from. Themes that came across throughout …

Life Being An International Student In The United States: Acculturation, Culture Shock, And Identity Transformation, Lai Yan Vivyan Lam

Master's Theses

The population of international students at community colleges in the United States has increased significantly over the past decade. International students play a big role in building the cultural diversity on campus by bringing over different cultures and sharing their global perspective to the local community. However, they often face challenges adapting into American culture due to cultural differences in education system, language, lifestyle, etc. By looking into the acculturation process of international students to analyze the culture shock and cultural identity changes they experienced, this paper intends to seek ways to help this group of students to ease their …

Practical English For Chinese Newcomers: A Handbook For Teachers, Li Li

Master's Projects and Capstones

When new Chinese immigrants first arrive in the United States, they face challenges related to both language barriers and acculturative stress. Language barriers and acculturative stress mutually reinforce each other. Furthermore, they significantly inconvenience new Chinese immigrants in terms of living, working and studying. Incorporating cultural information into English as a second language (ESL) teaching is thus important from a sociocultural and intercultural perspective. Therefore, the underlying purposes of this project is to enhance English communicative competence and American cultural adaptation among new Chinese immigrants by immersing them in authentic, situational, and practical communication in the United States. The project …

Acculturation, Identity Formation, And Mental Health-Related Issues Among Young Adult Ethiopian Immigrants, Sam A. Wolde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigration is a contributing factor to population growth in the United States. Ethiopian immigrants who are residing in the United States constitute the second-largest African immigrant group next to Nigeria. The effect of immigrants' identity formation and acculturation process on their social and emotional wellness has drawn behavioral and social scientists' attention. Still, limited research has been devoted to exploring Ethiopian immigrants' acculturation and identity formation processes and how these processes shape 1.5- and second-generation immigrants' perceptions of mental health-related issues. This phenomenological study explored identity formation, acculturation processes, and mental health beliefs in 1.5- and second-generation Ethiopian immigrants. Face-to-face …

Uncovering The Processes And Consequences Of Egyptian Immigrant Parental Involvement In Their Children’S Education: Bridging Cultural Differences, Hend Shalan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

For more than a decade, researchers have concluded that immigrant parents face several barriers to becoming involved in their children’s education. All studies agree that language and cultural differences are the most significant barriers to immigrants’ involvement in their children’s education, yet we know little about what these cultural differences are and how these cultural differences influence the school involvement of immigrant parents. This study integrates theories of cultural differences, acculturation, and culture shock and the corresponding literature to investigate the lesser involvement of immigrant parents in school-related activities.

A focused ethnographic design was employed and a thematic analysis …

From Culture Shock To Cultural Adaptation: A Workbook For International Students, Gregory R. Sugajski

Master's Projects and Capstones

San Francisco’s complex communal tapestry can lead to cultural disorientation, dislocation, and unfamiliarity for recently arrived F-1 and M-1 international students, a series of events that when related to problematic adaptation issues and negative adjustment implementations is known as culture shock. Easing the adaptation process for this population is considered to be of academic importance from a progressive, economic, sociocultural, and intercultural perspective. Thus, the organizing purpose and principle of the project is to enable cultural adaptation for students who reside in San Francisco by instilling in them proximal, behavioral, and situational safety awareness. The project takes the form of …

Teaching Culture Through Social Situations In English As A Second Language Classes, Irina Andreeva

Master's Projects and Capstones

To develop communicative competence, second language learners in addition to mastering linguistic, strategic, structural and discoursal aspects of the language, have to acquire sociolinguistc rules and conventions. The project sought to design a handbook to teach communicative competence along with sociolinguistic competence, as second language learners can never succeed in being fluent speakers in the target language without developing both competences. The handbook includes series of lessons to promote a deeper appreciation of how culture and language interact.

Exploration Of Experiences And Perceptions Of Saudi Arabian Students Within A Team Project Setting At An U.S. University, Ronald A. Mckean

Dissertations

Cultural differences between Saudi and American students produce immense challenges to a successful integrative acculturation. Positive experiences can not only enhance the education of international students, but also effect understandings and attitudes of local students, administrators, faculty, and staff. A greater implication of these experiences may be their influence on long term international relationships. Few qualitative studies have been conducted that examine the dynamics of the cultural integration of Saudi students with American students during the acculturation process.

The purpose of this qualitative research, therefore, is to describe and interpret the experiences and perceptions of Saudi Arabian students as they …

Latino Emergent Bilingual Students' Experiences With The Middle School Transition, Kerry Pecho

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the findings of a qualitative study that examined how Latino emergent bilingual students anticipate and experience the transition from a bilingual elementary school program to middle school. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who were native Spanish-speakers participated in focus group discussions. Overall, participants described positive transition experiences, and much of the content was not unique to these students (e.g., feeling nervous, looking forward to more activities). Other content, though, revealed transition experiences that may be unique to this population (e.g., dramatic shift in ethnic and linguistic backgrounds of peers). Participants' responses suggested that they experience a …

The Relationship Between The Level Of Acculturation In American (English-Speaking) Culture And Language Proficiency In Arabic Among Adolescents, Ahmed B. Elsayed

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF ACCULTURATION IN AMERICAN (ENGLISH-SPEAKING) CULTURE AND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN ARABIC AMONG ADOLESCENTS

by

AHMED ELSAYED

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. Sharon Elliott

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between acculturation and Arabic language skills in Arab American youth in a community center setting. Seventy Arabic speaking students at the age of 13 through 17 in a Midwestern state were selected on a non-random sampling basis to participate in this study. Three main measures were used to collect data: (1) Student Demographic Survey, …

Cultural Adaptations Of American Teachers In International Schools, David J. Alban

Dissertations

Global competition of academic aptitude between countries has sparked policymakers’ concerns with the performance of the United States educational system leading to many educational reforms that direct educators to diversify their instruction to meet the needs of all students. Advances in technology and travel allow people to interact with other cultures creating more globalized societies. These two converging issues place a greater significance on educators to understand the interplay between culture and their teaching practices.

Literature reveals that the influence of home and community cultures affects the learning behaviors of students (Davis-Kean, 2005: Wang, Beras, & Eberhard, 2005; Sigel, Stinson, …

Using L1 Culture To Acquire L2 Culture: Zpd Framework, Amjad Taha

MA TESOL Collection

Teaching the target language culture has been recently receiving much attention and focus in the fields of second/foreign language teaching. This paper examines the importance of using the learners’ L1 culture as a tool to teach the target language culture. In addition, the paper stresses the idea that the learners develop a dynamic, hybrid identity and space that represents both their L1 and L2 culture. These manifestations are presented in a profound framework that shows the development stages that the learners go through in developing their third spaces by using their L1 culture.

This paper includes four main sections: an …

Culturally Responsive Curriculum: Enrichment Projects For School Age-Children, MóNica Balbuena De La Sancha

Theses Digitization Project

This project addresses the need of a culturally responsive curriculum for children of Mexican descent. This culturally responsive curriculum was developed to expose children to Mexico's unique history, culture, traditions, and indigenous peoples.

Mid-Childhood Immigrant Perspectives On Achieving College Success, Mark John Litwicki

Dissertations

This study extends what is known about the experience of mid-childhood immigration. Fifteen participants, college students who immigrated to the U.S. from Latin America between the ages of 8 and 16 and who had completed at least a semester of transferable college-level coursework, provided their narratives by way of an open-ended interview focusing primarily on academic performance and achievement. Interviews were conducted using a life story methodology which seeks to maximize participant control over responses. Participants recounted their experiences from arrival through school completion and at college, and described which variables - circumstances, characteristics, behaviors, attitudes, events - they perceived …

The Effects Of Acculturation On The L2 Learner, Raya C. Longto

MA TESOL Collection

This paper deals with the deconstruction of a novel (A Sprig of Lemon Blossom) written on the subject of Acculturation. Since the latter half of the twentieth century the world has traveled at an incredible speed towards globalization. Given this reality the number of people who constantly travel abroad for a variety of career and work related purposes is growing by the hour. Under the circumstances the theme of acculturation has become crucial as without an adequate form of this phenomenon people cannot function to the best of their abilities. The deconstruction of this novel addresses the three-fold process of …