BACKGROUND
This assignment is designed to provide a focused examination of the connections between diversity and language in your classroom. The specific group we will focus on is Generation 1.5 students. (Links to an external site.) They will comprise about 80% of the EL students in your class, yet many teachers are not aware of this until they begin teaching and learning about Generation 1.5 students. Generation 1.5 students are interesting academically because they will often have very high levels of oral language proficiency but struggle with academic writing. Their writing sounds conversational and informal, and so they struggle in academic courses. Linda Harklau wrote the article below, and it is an important piece of research that everyone should read. She visited UNR several years ago and gave a great presentation. Her book is quite well known and is titled, Generation 1.5 Meets College Composition. (Links to an external site.)
Why are going to study choose Generation 1.5 students when we have been studying Mexican immigrants? The answer is that many Generation 1.5 students are Mexican and they (Mexican students) will represent about 85% of your students. There is lots of debate over the label and it has changed many times over the years. For our purposes, however, I have chosen to use the term one-point-five’, as it was the first term to be used in the landmark article by Linda Harklau.
Characteristics of Generation 1.5 students
They typically speak 2 or more languages fluently.
They are aural and oral learners, having learned English through listening and speaking and not through reading and writing. Their language is fluent and shows thorough knowledge of social customs, U.S. culture, and idioms. They often sound like native speakers.
They have a limited knowledge of academic English. They are often identified as having weaker literacy proficiency than native speakers.
They have never acquired or are losing literacy in their home language. Some may not be able to communicate effectively with their family members.
They have cross-cultural identification, or confusion about cultural identification. They identify both with U.S. culture as well as home culture. Sometimes Generation 1.5 students may develop language characteristics in common with the social group they socialize and/or identify with.
They have done most or all of their schooling in the U.S., but their education has been inconsistent, a hodgepodge of differing placements, pedagogies, programs and teaching practices. A common problem is that these students have been placed into low ability classes in U.S. high schools so they have had limited experience with academic reading and writing. Another common problem is that the students identify themselves as lacking skills and ability. They often see themselves as less capable than native speakers.
As you can see from above, the linguistic and cultural traits of generation 1.5 students can have a very measured impact on academic performance. I am hoping that this paper will give you insights into how you can structure the organization and expectations of your own teaching.
TASK
1. Your task is to create a list of 3 – 5 words from Harklau’s (2000) article that you believe create the clearest the academic, cultural and linguistic picture of the Generation 1.5 students and their teachers. Write two to three pages explaining your reasoning behind selectin of your 3 – 5 words. Please refer to the readings I have given below. Remember. Your writing must primarily be based upon your reading of Harklau’s (2000) article. Use the background materials sparingly. This assignment is in lieu of a midterm essay, so I expect you to write something that is informed by the readings below.
MATERIALS
Generation 1.5 Information
1. Link to Harklau’s article: From Good Kids to Worst-Harklau Download From Good Kids to Worst-Harklau
BACKGROUND MATERIALS
Demographic Information.
1. Link to Washoe County Schools (Links to an external site.)
2. Link to Nevada Department of Education (Links to an external site.)
3. Link to updated demographics of Nevada EL population. EL-factsheet2018-Nevada_Final Download EL-factsheet2018-Nevada_Final
Academic Language Resources
1. There are a number of resources that you can use. Here’s a good definition (Links to an external site.)
Here’s a good definition and connection to ELL’s (Links to an external site.)
READING NOTES
1. Harklau (2000) is really a landmark article on Generation 1.5 students. She offered one of the first studies on what happens to Generation 1.5 students as they move from high school into higher education. The article traces the experiences of five students, describing how, in the eyes of the teachers, they moved from the idea students who worked very hard to the students who bring the worst of American culture to the classroom. It’s important that you understand that these stereotypes, which Harklau calls discourses, are created BOTH BY THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS. As you read, try to identify what evidence Harklau uses to make this rather interesting argument.
2. Demographic Information will give you some broad trends on the growth of EL students across the country as well as in Nevada. You will not find specific information related to Generation 1.5 students, despite the fact that they will represent 80% of your students. What does this tell you about the state of knowledge about EL students and Generation 1.5 students? Your thoughts on the answer to that question is something that you can use in your essay.
3. The resources on academic language are instructive because they give you a definition of academic language, albeit a slippery one. Academic language is a term you will hear a lot in schools. For Generation 1.5 students, it’s something that they really struggle with. Integrate the definition of academic language into your essay.
