Foundations and Methods of English Language Reflective Assignment 1

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December 12, 2013 by Mr. M

Assignment:  After reading the article “On Learning English:  The Importance of School Context, Immigrant Community and the Racial Symbolism of the English Language in Understanding the Challenges for Immigrant Adolescents” online, write one page paper (250 words) comparing and contrasting the replies of the Chinese immigrants with the Mexican immigrants.  What cultural differences do you see affecting their responses? What do you think of this article? Do you agree with the author?

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In this assignment we have been challenged to analyze the article titled “On Learning English:  The Importance of School Context, Immigrant Community and the Racial Symbolism of the English Language in Understanding the Challenges for Immigrant Adolescents” written by Dr. Carmina Brittain.  In this article the author analyzed the responses to prompts made by Chinese and Mexican students who were studying the English language in America.  In this assignment I will summarize the cultural differences revealed by the student’s answers to the prompts, and express my opinion on the author’s findings.

Brittain’s article describes the experiences and attitudes of two different English learner immigrant groups through the lens of three contexts: Societal, School, and Socio-Cultural.  According to the author the Chinese immigrant English language learners that were studied were influenced high expectations placed on them by their ethnic community.  The perception of American schools held by people in their culture is that they lack rigor, and that once the language barrier is eventually overcome opportunities to succeed in America will become available.  It isn’t a question of if English language skills will be acquired, it is a matter of when.  School culture also contributes to Chinese English learner’s attitudes.  Teachers often consider Chinese students to be the model minority in terms of academic achievement – perhaps a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Native English speakers are also prone to bully Chinese speaking students, which tends to provide a negative source of motivation.  Most influential in setting the attitudes of Chinese speaking English learners are their peers.  Experienced Chinese students provide a social network for language learners that can affirm the value of ESL programs in school while providing cultural support and continuity.

Brittain’s study contrasts the experiences of Chinese students with those of Mexican students learning English language in America.  While Chinese society considers American instruction to be easy, the perception of Mexican society is that it considers English to be more difficult to learn.  The presence of violence in many Mexican communities also limits the degree to which English learners are exposed to fluent language speakers outside an academic environment.  When class is in session the experience for Mexican language learners also diverges from those of Chinese students.  Teacher attitudes towards Mexican students can be negative (based on low expectations, limited resources, or personal biases).  Mexican students also typically receive instruction in classrooms that are more homogeneous than those where we find Chinese students.  This means that the experience of language learning is shared by classroom peers, and there is less exposure to students who possess fluency.  The nature of peer experience with language learning also diverges from the Chinese ESL classroom.  Racial politics come into play, and the color of one’s skin as well as their proclivity for using English around Spanish speaking peers influences social structures.

I agree with the author that “social expectations, school structures, and peer influences play a role in understanding students’ attitudes towards learning English.”  The degree to which the society, economy and politics of each “sender” country is different manifests itself in the group’s experiences in American classrooms.  Failure to account for this will only breed failure in providing the best possible instruction.