A new theory of how children are using our classrooms in the US to acculturate into society. The models currently in use in teacher preparation may not be focused on the true needs of the learners.

1. Learning the Ropes
{
A New View to Crossing Cultures
in
School Environments
Patricia E. Reynolds, Ed.D
University of Mary Washington

2. 
Current Demographics demand a change in
praxis

P-12 under federal mandates to “Leave No
child Behind”

Information Gaps exist for the educator
working with English Language Learners

The loss of human and cultural capital
As we know it….

3. 



In 1954, Karl Oberg coined the term "Culture Shock."
Often referred to as a “Bath of Cold Water”
Definitions are numerous…and nebulous.
“Culture shock involves a powerful disruption of one's routines,
ego and self-image”(Hall, 1959).
What is culture shock?

4. BUT the one area ……………………
We have little information about is…
SCHOOLS…..
in particular….
PreK-12 Public Schools
The research began here…

5. 
Little is known about how English Language
Learners cross cultures in school environments

Educators lack information about the academic as
well as the sociocultural processes

Current praxis is based on models that have
assumed adaptation and freedom of choice

Research on first and second generation children is
difficult to locate and almost non-existent
There was simply… not much out there about
children and how they accomplish this while
going to school.

6. •
In 1990, Jean Phinney describes outcomes for ethnic
minority youth and how these “identity outcomes”
were important to an individual's mental health.
•
John Marcia added to this by developing identities
that led to forming a healthy ethnic identity.
•
In 1992, Ogbu identified differences between
voluntary and involuntary patterns that contributed
to ethnic minority identity and sense of belonging.
Moving toward Education

7. 
While this information informed the
psychology community , other than ideas
forwarded by Banks in his concept of
multicultural education, little made it’s way
into the PreK-12 environment.

Most of the research has been conducted on
young adults or older adolescents.
So.. We continued to use models that were not
relevant to the experiences of children in schools!!!

8. Based on Oberg, 1954
Krohls
1958
Current Models in
Gullahorn &Gullahorn, 1963
Ting, Toomey & Chung, 2005

9. 
Determining the concerns and behaviors
children crossing cultures engage in while they
go through the acculturation process.

Understanding identity development
accomplished while in multicultural transition.

Balancing concerns of academic and language
development in educational settings.
Theoretical Framework

10. •
•
•
Assimilation assumes that the individual, in this case the
learner, will have to take on the responsibility to change and
subsume into the matrix culture.
In fact…
Acculturation has a more balanced and neutral meaning…Both the
matrix culture and the immigrant’s culture will modify as a result of
the contact.
Assimilation or Acculturation
The Key Difference

11. •
What is required of school age children……
•
Don’t we ask them to change to match the target culture?
Don’t we place the responsibility for change on their shoulders in
the PreK-12 environment?
How much change does the PreK-12 environment contribute to the
acculturation process?
What do we require PreK-12 children to do in educational
environments?
•
•
•
But ….

12. 
Focusing on the actual experiences of students
provided conceptual theory of explaining how
students cross cultures.

Developed a theory grounded in the experience
of people as they resolved their main concerns.

Current methodology is focused on academic
development and may be missing important
aspects of identity development.
Significance of the Study

13. Learning the Ropes
{
A Grounded Theory Study of
Children Crossing Cultures

14. 
4 Stages




The Stages
Stage 1: Frozen in Time
Breaking the Ice
Hiding in Plain Sight
Stage 2. Turtling
Slaying Dragons
Closing the Door
Stage 3. Painting a new Picture
Getting a New Voice
Aiming to Please
Stage 4. Finding the Future
Staying Ahead of the Game
Something Always Missing

15. 


Unlike current models in practice, this stage
demonstrates that students are not able to
engage because they are suspended in space
and time.
They must break the ice and develop a comfort
area to move into the process.
They hide in plain sight and observe what will be
the best course of action.
Stage 1:Frozen in Time

16. 
Stark contrasts between the two cultures are difficult
for children to process. Consequently, they go
between cultures “turtling” by putting on a hard
shell when they have to emerge from the home
environment.

They constantly are slaying dragons because they
have to survive in both worlds without much
guidance.

At some point, they have to come to terms with
closing a door on the past and moving forward into
the new culture.
Stage 2. Turtling

17. 
Once the new culture is then accepted, participants
related they had to figure out a way to develop a
new persona in the new culture by imitating those
around them.

By getting a new voice, individuals are now able to
self advocate consequently finding a value and
identity in the new self.

When this happens, individuals set about aiming to
please everyone around them so they can continue to
access new information.
Stage 3. Painting a new Picture

18. 
There is no clear end to the process. But there is a
recognition that one has gotten this far and can
apply newly developed strategies and keep going to
discover new pathways.

Challenges at this stage are attempting to stay ahead
of the game so that ground achieved is not lost with a
clear view to the future.

The one clear knowledge that does emerge at this
stage is that something will always be missing and the
recognition of who they may have been or known is
forever lost to them.
Stage 4. Finding the Future

19. 
Two dimensions, although relevant, were
external to the stages process of the theory, yet
added a complexity to the learning the ropes
behavior for many of the participants.
Nonetheless, the significance of these
dimensions to the participants is notable.

Coloring my World
Talking about the Past

Dimensions

20. 
Findings were indicative that further
understanding of the sociocultural aspects
would enhance teachers ability to work with
culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Grounded action study to develop professional
development for educators.

The two dimensions that emerged should be
investigated in depth for the implications they
may imply in P-12 environments.
Further Research

21. •
•
•
•
Children school ages 5-16 continue to develop emotionally, socially
and psychologically.
We encourage these developments in school for native language
speakers and easily recognize disruptions in these developmental
patterns.
Do we look at these same aspects when we work with Second
language learners?
Can we assume they will follow the same patterns of Native
speaking classmates?
Dynamic

22. Or Do we….

focus on language acquisition and language development….
And ignore……

Variations that children may go through the process differently
Do teachers even recognize there may be a need for this awareness?


23. Questions and Comments
Thank You
preynold@umw.edu