Professional Choice Assignment 1 Professional Choice Assignment: Tracing the Linguistic and Cultural Progression of a Bilingual Immigrant Family

Martin Schoket

C T !!1 "arl Magnuson A#ril $% &'1&

Professional Choice Assignment & Professional Choice Assignment: Tracing the Linguistic and Cultural Progression of a Bilingual Immigrant Family Acculturation and assimilation are ine(ita)le social #henomenon encountered )y immigrant families* +ften times% this #rocess for immigrant families also has a )ountiful amount of stigma and stereoty#e associated ,ith it and is unfortunately #er#etuated )y misinformed indi(iduals* -o,e(er% u#on tracing the linguistic and cultural #rogression of an immigrant family% stories manifest re#lete ,ith tragedy and trium#h% success and struggle% and immense determinations to )ecome acce#ted and function as e.ual citi/ens* The stories of Miguel Sanche/ 0#seud*1 and his family are no different% as they elucidate% for the record% circumstances that define their 2ourneys and #ro(ide a slight account a)out the realities millions of #eo#le confront daily* Miguel and his family3s e4#eriences are not uni(ersal% nor are the con2ectures made a)out them an attem#t to ty#ecast the (ast num)er of other )ilingual immigrants throughout the ,orld5 rather% it is )ut another chronicle of the human condition* Miguel ,as only a young )oy ,hen his family had to make% as he is told% 6one of the most difficult7 decisions a family could face and decide u#on* Ine(ita)ly% out of o)ligatory necessity% the Sanche/ family de#arted for the 8nited States from central Me4ico% as ,ith many% looking for a further o##ortunity in a land ,ith an a)undance of #ossi)ilities and a culture #ur#ortedly )uilt on e.uality for all* Fortunately% the young Sanche/ family% carrying the youngest of the four children% Miguel% landed on their feet% initially% in sunny% southern California% later in ,indy "ansas% and immediately immersed themsel(es in a #atently dissimilar culture and linguistic landsca#e* Although the family ,as (enturing into another en(ironment% they ,ere not totally ignorant of #re(ailing cultural as#ects: Currency% or money and 8S dollars% and music* Miguel

Professional Choice Assignment ! recalled that his t,o older )rothers 6lo(ed American music% like "ISS and a lot of ra#*7 -e further stated that% since #esos and dollars are so commonly interchangea)le in Me4ico% it ,ould not 6sur#rise 9him: if 9his )rothers: )ought their C;s ,ith dollars )ecause it ,as chea#er at the little tiendas7 0stores1* This seems to )e a normal similarity )et,een the Me4ican<S#anish and 8nited States<American cultures% one of common ground% e(en though ,hat is often #ortrayed and acce#ted as truth is contrary to these commonalities* Miguel e(en e4#lained ho, California and 6Californian culture did not ha(e much of a di(ide%7 in the early 1$$'s% from ,hat he already kne,% #ro)a)ly from his #re(ious e4#osure and the already ,ell=esta)lished S#anish culture in the Los Angeles area* >ith the stressful circumstances and struggles inherent in immigrating% Miguel said% 6It ,as easy and ha##ened fairly .uick*7 The e4#erience% as Miguel reali/ed% 6forced7 his young family 6to gro, u# faster*7 ?ro,ing u#% for the Sanche/ family% entailed much more than the ty#ical tri)ulations struggling families face% e(en in the 8nited States* The Sanche/ family% like so many other immigrant families% had entire cultural and linguistic )arriers to cross )efore life settled for them% and they e(en continue to encounter those o)stacles today* Luckily for the family and the millions of other immigrants ,ho migrate to the States% there are .uite easily accessi)le cultural and linguistic resources to e4#edite the #rocess of understanding their ne, orientation in society* Miguel mentioned school as his and his si)lings3 #rimary means of acculturation% )ut ne,s and music also #ro#elled their kno,ledge of the ne, nation* -e also descri)ed ho,% linguistically% learning and acce#ting @nglish use ,ere 6easier for him )ut certainly tougher7 for his #arents% ,ho function in their traditional% -is#anic mindset more so than trying to )ecome 6Americani/ed*7 This generational discre#ancy )et,een language use and continued cultural #ractices of time=honored traditions ,as reflected in the community around ,here the Sanche/

Professional Choice Assignment A family resided% as the #arents of the neigh)ors from Miguel3s childhood in California mostly s#oke S#anish% #rodding 2okes at the kids )ecause they s#oke @nglish more often% although the adults got their fair share of ha/ing from the children% as ,ell* The close=knit family ended u# in "ansas and settled to esta)lish a successful% fulfilling life* Cross=cultural influences are an inherent characteristic of acculturation* Miguel ,as more inclined to think that he ,as 6more American in middle and high school than 9he is: no,*7 -e has reached a #oint ,here he ,ants 6to learn more in de#th7 a)out his culture 6instead of 2ust eating traditional food or ,hate(er*7 As Miguel ages% he is finding ne, a##reciations for the things that ,ere essentially #urged from his system )ecause of #u)lic school% media and #o#ular culture influence* -e has learned to res#ect the en(ironment he de(elo#ed in% reali/ing the im#act that is im#ossi)le to deny* -is ne, outlook is fostered )y the e(en further generational ga# )et,een his nieces and ne#he,s* Miguel lamented a)out ho, the kids cannot 6relate to their grand#arents and can3t s#eak the language*7 -e said that his sister is 6still rooted in educational endea(ors and ,ants to kee# her children informed7 a)out the family #ast* -o,e(er% his oldest )rother% ,ho has four children% has% as Miguel e4#lained it% 6A ,eird time )eing the American father and the traditional S#anish #adre*7 The tensions that arise from the cultural 2uggling act certainly are an added stressor for the indi(iduals ,ho e4#erience such distinctly different cultures5 this is also referred to as culture shock* The maintenance and retention of languages are ine4trica)ly connected to the corres#onding cultures in ,hich they are used* Miguel% #rogressing through his #u)lic schooling% finally )ecame comforta)le ,ith his @nglish use% in all forms% in the fourth grade and con.uered his accent )y middle school* -e attri)uted his @nglish #roficiency to his time s#ent in school% and the decreased e4#osure to S#anish% only interacting ,ith it at home% started to feel strange to

Professional Choice Assignment B him% lo,ering his comfort le(el ,ith his nati(e language* Being in an atmos#here surrounded )y a culture utili/ing @nglish as the main form of communication% Miguel missed out on maintaining and retaining his #rimary S#anish language and culture* This ,as #ro)lematic for Miguel and his #arents% ,ho often ,ould correct Miguel on his S#anish e(en though he did not care* This created another set of tensions ,ithin the family% solely due to linguistics frustrations )ecause% as is generally the case% Miguel3s #arents had a (ery difficult time ac.uiring e(en a BICS le(el of @nglish #roficiency* Miguel had his share of #erformance #ro)lems% as ,ell* -e said he ,ould 6get signals crossed )et,een languages in ,riting and reading%7 though he admitted that S#anish cartoons and translating ,ere integral in hel#ing him o(ercome his literacy hurdles* At only ten=years=old% Miguel ,as translating for his #arents in matters such as ta4es and medical a##ointments% as ,ell as hel#ing them find 2o)s% that ,ere detailed in @nglish=only% e(en though Miguel3s father ,ent to college and ,as an accountant in Me4ico* Miguel3s res#onsi)ilities% at ten years of age% ,ere o)(iously im#erati(e for his family to function in American society% and they seemed to defeat those daunting road)locks .uite ,ell* Miguel and his family ha(e had a life e4#erience fe, could fathom% to say the least* From the )eginnings in one distinct culture to the cham#ioning of argua)ly the ,orld3s #redominant culture% Miguel% at one #oint% felt as though he did not identify ,ith his )irth culture% )ecause of (arious reasons% including the immense amount of cartel (iolence% and only gained a )etter understanding of his #ast and a mutual res#ect for the culture through his higher education and learning of the history* -e is a##reciati(e of the 8nited States for #ro(iding such cultural o##ortunities to hel# him and his family ad2ust and thri(e .uite successfully in a dog eat dog ,orld* And although he still feels as if he is 6the other guy7 in most situations% he is thankful for the )ounty this land has graciously afforded*

Professional Choice Assignment C Inter(ie, Duestions -o, distinct are the differences )et,een the culturesE >as the transition made under stressful circumstancesE -o, accessi)le ,as the location and culture of the ne, nationE >hat ,ere the e4#eriences and interactions ,ith the ne, culture )efore transitioningE -o, accessi)le ,ere cultural and linguistic resources u#on arri(al and )eginning in the ne, nationE After you gained a functional le(el of @nglish #roficiency% ,as it difficult to interact ,ith your #arentsE >ere your @S+L and language instructors of a similar ethnicity<nationality to you or at least different from the dominant% American culture and nationalityE -o, much of your S#anish<-is#anic<Me4ican culture ha(e you retained since acculturating into American cultureE 0Food% traditions% clothes% language at home% etcF1 To ,hat e4tent has your family mem)ers acculturated to American cultureE ;o you identify ,ith one culture more than another% or is there mutual res#ect and admiration for the culture connected to )oth of your languagesE >hat ,ere<are some ma2or language difficulties your #arents ha(e encountered ,hile assimilating to American cultureE >hat ,ere some of your difficulties ad2usting in American cultureE >hat do you remem)er a)out your @S+L classroom e4#eriencesE Challenges% misunderstandings% trium#hs% etcF At a##ro4imately ,hat age did your @nglish use )ecome comforta)leE ;o you recall any @S+L teachers using acculturati(e teaching methods% strategies% or acti(itiesE >hat ty#es of acculturati(e methods and strategies did you learn in your #rofessional education coursesE >hat are your e4#eriences ,ith younger children and )ilingual studiesE ;o there seem to )e any different cultural )arriers to second language ac.uisition for @nglish Language Learners that you did not e4#erienceE