Language and identity (II)Family language practices, displacement, language and identity of immigrant kids

OverviewYour voicesGuest Speaker: Dr. Hyun- Sook Kang (introduced by Melinda)A step from heaven: Class discussionA Step from heaven: Acting out the characters!Incorporating Immigrant stories in to classrooms

Melissa saysI enjoyed reading this book (A Step from Heaven) so much, not only does it help me realize the problems of a Korean immigrant living in the U.S, but also lets me reflect on the fact that I have to realize my kids can encounter several struggles outside of my classroom, such as I would not know how their families treat them (only if I would decide to intrude), the language problems they stumble upon with Americans when they need to get important documents to follow U.S. laws, such as speaking with the immigration services, the need for a better living condition, if they are eating healthy meals outside of school, or even the cultural shocks they encounter. Every kid brings their own culture and experiences to the classroom, as a language teacher, I need to be considerate to every aspect of every child’s life. This book is so inspirational because it helps me realize the problems ELL students can encounter outside of the classroom. I like how the author embraces the Korean language in the book, by mentioning words such as: Halbugi, Halmoni, Apa and Uhmma, as well as using Korean and kid language such as when the teacher says “Tees es Yung”, to picture how the child interprets the English language in her own words. I also like how the author writes the book from when the family is in Korea until she reaches college. It will probably use this book as a source someday.

Jasmine says…Though I do find it interesting that studies have found that children incorporated more English into their speaking language regardless of the parent efforts of speaking the "home language". This is a very similar situation back in my home between English and Mandarin-Chinese. My siblings and I would utilize code-switching between these two languages, using English as our L1, and would produce the hybrid language of "Chinglish". This combination of two languages would be spoken to our parents, but sadly would sometimes be ineffective in communication with my mother. Even though my mother knows how to speak English and can communication enough especially at her part time job, she is just at the point where she is less insecure about her English. She would rather speak in Mandarin-Chinese to us and tells us to do the same, to use less English while talking to her because "we need to practice".

Laura Muro saysReading the article and seeing the extremity parents are doing to teach their children their native language it’s very intriguing. My question is how and what are their children feeling or thinking when they are going through this and trying to assimilate in two different cultures? The article also discussed about the parents wanting to implement in their children who they are and where they are coming from by enforcing to learn their native language. However, reflecting on their own teaching of their own language was it difficult for the parents to try to create this idea of bilingualism in their home, and what were they struggles trying to do this? Overall, I believe that it is very important for students to try to keep and maintain their native language because it identifies their identity, in which it is very important, but just the extremities parents have to go through its so shocking.

Brian saysIf the Parks had not cloistered themselves away from their Korean friends, or if they had started to participate in the Korean church community when they first entered the US then perhaps Apa would not have felt such intense pressure to support everything on his own. Also, if Young Ju’s parents had embraced other American’s like the Doyle family, perhaps they would have discovered ways to navigate American culture more easily. But I do not think the fault lies completely with the Park parents, for if Young Ju would have not felt so ashamed of her family’s difference from American culture perhaps she could have helped her parents make more connections, again for example the Doyle family.

Amy saysWhen I was reading the article, I saw many connections with the book, such as the importance to the parents that the children are bilingual, yet only speak Korean in the home. We read about the reasoning behind this as well as saw some examples in the book: some make the home like a Korean island in order to preserve tradition and see it as an identity marker, some moms are homemakers and don't have the ability to learn as fast and see language as a barrier, and some see the possibility of returning one day because of family or economical purposes. No matte what the reasoning is, we saw similar intervention strategies, such as immediate feedback (either linguistically or culturally), provision of definitions, and language mixing. Over all, the article that we read helped me to see the book I liked so much from the educational perspective. I loved being able to see both sides of it. I am hoping that the Dr. Kang will be able to give us some pointers at how to help parents become less of a hinderance and more of an advocate for bilingualism and being culturally appreciative, accepting, and open.

Melinda says…Dr. Kang’s study fits with our reading of this text in that the participants are Korean-American parents attempting to maintain the Korean language as a heritage language for their American-born children. The reasons behind this (or the motivation) include maintaining a sense of Korean heritage (traditions), but Dr. Kang mentions also that economics definitely play a part. If the family determines that it is economically advantageous to return to Korea (or if there is an extended family need for them to return), then it is important that the children are fluent in the heritage language. Thus, Dr. Kang examines the “family language policy” of these families (she defines family language policy as “explicit and implicit planning in relation to acquisition of language skills in home settings, in contrast to those espoused by the state or other organizations,” Kang, 2012). Dr. Kang’s study examined how Korean-American families “employ language intervention strategies” to facilitate their children’s bilingual skills.

Overview of post-structural approaches

to “identity”This view rejects the conception of identity as static and recognizes the centrality of “interaction”, “power dynamics”, and “social activities”.According to changing social circumstances, identities intersect or contrast with each other.Languages are not only markers of identity, but also sites of resistance, empowerment, solidarity, or discrimination.Our identities are reflexively organized information about possible ways of life (how to act and how to be). What a person is understood to be varies across cultures.One’s identity is not set and stone; it is not only in the behavior or people’s reactions, but it’s in the narrative you tell about yourself. It integrates events which occur in your world—It’s an ongoing story about “self”.

A Step from Heaven (1-60)

What’s the significance of Mi Gook for Young Ju? (see pages 9-16)Why do you thin Uhmma attempts to “Americanize Young Ju? What does “curling her hair” symbolize?Examine Young Ju’s initial experiences in school.(30-34)What are the indications of family’s financial situation? How is Young Ju reacting to family violence?Discuss the universality of the birth of a baby and analyze Young Ju’s feelings when Apa speaks of his baby son’s future.

A Step from Heaven (50-90)

Analyze the children’s relationship with their father.Analyze the episode of Apa’s violence toward Joon (66-71).Examine Joon and Young Ju’s experiences with Harry, the bird. What do you think Harry symbolizes?Analyze Apa’s reaction when they go to the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Services. What’s the consequence of the communication breakdown? How is it fixed? What are the social repercussions of Young Ju’s stepping up? What’s the significance and role of “Piano Fingers” in this episode?Analyze Young Ju’s statement “ In that moment, when the papers pass from his hands to mine, our eyes meet and I know. His will always be a face washed and dressed by sun” (p. 89)

A Step from Heaven (90-125)

Examine the effects of Halmoni’s death on the family (93-96)Discuss the significance of Apa’s violence to Uhmma. Analyze the symbolism of the picture frame (97-99).Discuss why Uhmma takes children to church. What are the effects of community resources such as churches, Sunday schools on immigrant children?Why were Uhmma and Apa resisted Young Ju’s intersest in Amanda’s beach party? What are they afraid of? (110-112)Examine Apa’s deterioration and the impact of it on the family.Discuss the awards’ assembly and its significance. What are Uhmma’s and Apa’s reactions?

A Step from Heaven (125-end)

Analyze the effects of Apa’s escalating alcoholism and violence on his family. (125-136)Examine the cause and effect of Apa’s arrest and the ensuing events (142-145)Discuss the changes in the family after Apa returns to Korea (145-148)Examine the significance of the title of the epilogue, “Hands”.

For all groupsWhat are some of the implications of your readings this week?How can we make students as researchers of language, culture and identity in their own communities? What are the benefits of this? What are some of the challenges you foresee?

Acting out a step from heaven

Put yourself in one of the character’s shoes. In fact, be that character, and write his/her stream of consciousness from that character’s standpoint:

Characters to act out: Young Ju, Joon, Apa, Uhmma, Amanda, Young Joo’s teacher Issues:1) Moving to Mi Gook. Becoming too American.

Cultural Assimilation.2) Language practices at home and in the community

(The use of English and Korean). Language and Culture maintenance.

3) What the future will hold for him/her?

New Immigrants Share Their Stories

See the documentary and discuss some of the benefits of using life stories (life writing/speaking) of ELLs in the classroom. How would you connect this documentary to class readings?

http://www.youtube.com/watch v=33OINi3xVbc&feature=related