Sociocultural identity and second language learning : a study of Korean students in an American university

The present study investigated the relationships between acculturation and SLAamong Korean undergraduate students at an American university. A survey of 115 students and case studies of five students were conducted. The majority of students chose bicultural adaptation as their strategy for acculturation. They were not culturally assimilated although some of them exibited linguistic assimilation. Students who adopted a high bicultural tendency reported the greater level of English proficiency. The results of multiple regression showed that age of arrival, American acculturation (social contact with Americans and English use), and gender, were important predictors of English proficiency. Overall the results of the case studies supported those of the survey. Students sought for a sense of belonging and emotional support in their intercultural contact, which sometimes superceded their desire to learn English. Students tended to fulfill these needs by associating with non-American or ethnic American friends, which indicates that students' emerging cultural identities are multicultural ones. They expressed difficulties in making white American friends because of racial segregation and some Americans' sense of superiority and prejudices against Asians. Some students' negative experiences with, and perceived prejudice from, Americans caused them to develop negative images of themselves and all Americans, which deterred them from seeking contact with Americans. Students also expressed the importance of personal and intimate relationships with Americans in order to improve their English proficiency. Both integration into American society and positive acceptance of native cultural and ethic identity, which was accompanied by a sense of belonging and emotional security, seemed to be important processes for their achievement of successful acculturation and second language learning. Therefore, confidence in native cultural and ethnic identity should be encouraged in order to provide the psychological capacity to deal with acculturation stresses. The researcher recommends utilizing Korean Americans as tutors for Korean students in the ESL program and collaboration between the ESL program and the university's Korean program. Also, the researcher suggests that the ESL program be an agent of students' identity enhancement through emphasizing students' native culture and the empowerment of students using critical pedagogy.