Culture in acculturation: Refugee youth’s schooling experiences in international schools in New York City

As the number of refugee children and youth across the world continues to grow at an alarming rate, the needs of refugee populations require more and sustained attention. This qualitative study explores the specific academic and socio-emotional needs of refugee students in New York City (NYC), a city that has received refugees and asylum seekers from over 50 countries. Using qualitative research methods and drawing on the literature on refugee students’ school experiences and acculturation theory, in this article we ask how refugee students describe the key features of international high schools that foster students’ academic success, social and cultural integration, and academic well-being. Moreover, we examine how the notion of culture itself can interfere with these efforts.     

When worlds collide: Academic adjustment of Somali Bantu students with limited formal education in a U.S. elementary school

This paper reports on the findings of a two-year ethnographic study of newly arrived Somali Bantu refugee students in a U.S. elementary school (K-6) in Chicago. These data paint a detailed picture of students’ behavioral and academic adjustment to school, and the drivers behind “behavioral incidents” (instances when children’s behavior presented a problem for school staff) and their academic engagement or disengagement. Bantu students required a degree of flexibility and accommodation from their teachers, whose attitudes toward acculturation could generally be characterized as “assimilationist” (requiring students to conform to U.S. culture and school rules) or “multicultural” (respecting and accepting the students expressing their heritage culture at the school). This study illustrates the difficulties faced by refugee students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) when adjusting to U.S. schools, and the pressures placed on teachers and other school staff. Strategies used by teachers in working with SLIFE are described. These findings also extend the literature on the academic engagement of immigrants to this group of SLIFE. In this study, SLIFE were disengaged not because of disinterest or resisting adult expectations at school but because they were unfamiliar with the culture of schooling and did not have the academic background necessary to complete school tasks. The study also illustrates the need to provide schools with adequate support to accommodate the needs of SLIFE.     

文化导入在英语教学中的作用

在英语教学中，化导入占着越来越重要的地位，这表明语言与其承载的化信息之间的关系已引起英语教学界的重视。本从其重要性、内容、方式三个方面阐述了化导入在英语教学中的作用。     

Too similar or too different: Effect of acculturation strategies on judgments of a violent act committed by a Vietnamese offender

In the literature, several studies have shown that the perpetrator’s ethnic origin and acculturation strategy are particularly influential extrajudicial factors, but authors have focused on highly stigmatized groups. The aim of this study was to examine how the participants’ judgments were influenced by the acculturation strategy of a Vietnamese aggressor (member of a valued minority group in France), the consequences of the act for the victim, and their level of SDO. It was expected that assimilation, which reflects a strong similarity with the majority group, or separation, reflecting strong dissimilarity, would lead to negative judgments of the assault and its perpetrator and a harsher punishment. After reading a scenario describing a physical assault committed by a Vietnamese man, in which the perpetrator’s acculturation strategy and the consequences of the act were manipulated, 196 French students completed a questionnaire.The results confirm our hypothesis. Moreover, they show that when there were serious consequences for the victim, the act was considered to be more serious if the offender had not adopted French culture. However, when the consequences were minor, the act was considered to be more serious and a harsher punishment was recommended if the offender had adopted French culture. We explain how acculturation strategy is an important factor when judging transgressions, and how being too similar or too different to the majority group can increase the perceived threat. The status of SDO is discussed.     

从文化差异视角谈动物习语的翻译策略

英语和汉语中包含很多含有动物形象的习语，它们是翻译中的难点和重点。拟首先从生存环境、风俗习惯、宗教信仰和历史典故等四个方面来比较和分析英汉动物习语存在的巨大差异。接着探讨英汉动物习语的翻译策略，包括直译法、意译法和套用法三种方法。在翻译时译者要根据具体的情况进行处理，使译文既能准确地传达原文的思想，又符合中国人的思维和表达习惯，使跨文化交流顺利进行。     

How Limiting Linguistic Freedoms Influences the Cultural Adaptation Process: An Analysis of the French Muslim Population

This study asserts that when ethnic or minority groups perceive themselves to be under linguistic pressures to conform to the dominant culture and language, they will be less motivated to acculturate to the dominant culture and will have increased resentment toward the dominant culture. A total of 567 first-, second-, and third-generation French Muslims were surveyed to ascertain the Muslim community's perception of French language policies. Aside from revealing a decreased motivation to acculturate and increased resentment toward the dominant culture, the study's results demonstrate the importance of ethnolinguistic vitality in understanding the community's overall refusal to completely adapt to the dominant French culture.     

文化适应与国际教育中学业成功之研究——中国学生留英经历考察

不同的文化价值观和社会准则通常会使在海外逗留的人们经历＂文化休克＂。要克服这种现象,几乎人人都会不可避免地经历文化适应过程。文化适应指的是个人在态度、价值观、行为,特别是文化个性上发生变化,这种变化是由于同各种相异文化的人经常不断交流而产生之结果。通过对23位中国学生在英国某高校攻读硕士学位经历的研究,证明了文化适应对学业成功有着极大的相关性,即成功完成国际教育很大程度上取决于文化适应。     

Living with others: Mapping the routes to acculturation in a multicultural society

This study investigated attitudes towards multiculturalism and their influence on acculturation strategies of both Anglo-Australians and Asian immigrants residing in the city of Brisbane, the third largest city of Australia. Data was obtained via a survey administered to 133 Asian immigrants and 108 Anglo-Australians, a total of 241 respondents. Results revealed discordance in attitudes towards multiculturalism between Asians and Australians, with Asians rating it higher as a benefit and lower as a threat as compared to Australians. While higher ratings on multiculturalism as a threat tended to be positively related to separation strategy, this linear association did not hold true for the minority group (Asians). For Asian respondents, those who perceived a moderate threat in multiculturalism were more likely supporters for separation. Our findings supported the assumption that multiculturalism is viewed as differentially beneficial for minority and majority groups.     

Attitudes toward multiculturalism of immigrants and majority members in the Netherlands

The current study examined the perceptions by Dutch natives and four immigrant groups (Surinamers, Antilleans, Turks, and Moroccans) on four topics relevant for the functioning of the Netherlands as a multicultural society: immigrants’ feelings of comfort in living in the Netherlands, their perceived discrimination, their cultural maintenance, and Dutch involvement with them. As predicted, Dutch natives estimated the immigrants’ view more accurately in a contact domain (perceived discrimination) than in a non-contact domain (feelings of comfort) and the attitude differences between Dutch natives and immigrants were smaller in a contact domain (Dutch involvement) than in a non-contact domain (cultural maintenance). The study also examined the relation between ethnic hierarchy (cultural distance), educational level, and experiences of the ethnic groups. Turks and Moroccans (who occupy a lower position in the Dutch ethnic hierarchy and are less schooled) reported less positive feelings and experiences in the Netherlands than Surinamers and Antilleans (who are higher in the ethnic hierarchy and are better schooled).