Language Socialization and the Acculturation Process of Bilingual Students

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  In Poster Session: Language Socialization and the Acculturation Process of Bilingual Students

Abstract

This study follows a group of Brazilian English as a second language learners pursuing a degree in American universities as they negotiate their relationships with professors and as they develop an understanding of the social, cultural and educational rules that apply in the context of American higher education. In trying to perform within the required academic standards while making sense of American culture, bilingual students may end up developing both an interlanguage and an interculture. This paper analyzes data from interactions between professors and students negotiating a test. The focus is on the linguistic and cultural challenges faced by bilingual students as they navigate the American academic system and socialize into mainstream American culture.

Authors

• Fernando Naiditch, Montclair State University

• Miriam Eisenstein Ebsworth, New York University

• Timothy John Ebsworth, College of New Rochelle