Authoethnography on 1.5 generation students

Authoethnography on 1.5 generation students

Roberge, M.(2003). Generation 1.5 immigrant students: What special experiences,
characteristics and educational needs to they bring to our English classes? Presented at the 37 Annual TESOL Convention, Baltimore, MD.

The struggles that a 1.5 generation student faces in the Elementary, Secondary, and College level system is something to which I can easily relate. Having been born in the Philippines in 1982 and moving to the United States in 1990, I am what Roberge considers a 1.5 Generation student. The assimilation process that I went through in the United States was a difficult process academically and socially. However, I did have one advantage as a 1.5 Generation student. I had an American father who made sure, even though I was born in the Philippines, I was immersed not just in the Philippines life, but also the American culture. Even living in the Philippines, I had at least 3 English tutors who came into my home and taught me English. Moreover, I was not allowed to speak Tagalog (the Philippine national language) in my house. Only situations such as schooling or association with my Filipino friends allowed me to speak Tagalog. My father was an extremely strict military man who ensured I became proficient at both Tagalog and English.

However, my proficiency in both languages changed when I moved to the United States. I wanted to fit in with my new American friends so I tried not to speak Tagalog. I was embarrassed when I spoke Tagalog so much that I stopped speaking it outside my home. When my brother and I would play baseball together, we communicated in English because we both felt awkward speaking Tagalog. Even when I came home, I would tell my mother not to speak Tagalog to me. It is because of this, and the enforcement of the school, that I speak ‘English only’ and lost my Tagalog tongue by the age of 10. I remember vividly the struggles I dealt with as a 1.5 Generation student in the Elementary classroom. I was placed in remedial classes and held back a grade. I graduated in 2001, when I should have graduated in 2000. It was embarrassing being placed in second grade when I should have been in the third grade.
The more specific struggles I dealt with were in High School. I was quite bright in Math but my writing and reading comprehension was so weak. The proper reasons for the mistakes I was making were never provided to me. It was not actually until my sophomore of college that an English professor helped me with my writing in a way that truly impacted in my life. She demonstrated for me how to construct an academic paper as well as how important it is to write in an active voice, rather than a passive voice. She also showed me how to edit my paper and find my own grammatical mistakes. She invested a large amount of time into helping me improve my writing. Unfortunately, I have been away from college now for four years and the last academic paper I wrote was approximately 5 years ago, so I am in a situation now where I feel I am back in High School.

However, I keep in mind the teachings of the English professor who guided me. It is very important for me then that educators become more aware of the problems that 1.5 Generation students have in classrooms. These students exist and sometimes all they need is just one educator to make an impact in their life.
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