Bowling Alone? Asian American English Learner Students' Access to Higher Education

• In Event: Centering Marginalized and Lived Experiences of Asians and Asian Americans

Abstract

Scholars increasingly express concerns that substantial barriers encountered by Asian American English learner (AAEL) students, the second-largest racial/ethnic English learner student group, are being overlooked in the K-12 and postsecondary pipeline. This qualitative study focuses on AAEL students’ college access in a diverse, urban school district in the Southeastern U.S. Taking a Bourdieusian practice theory perspective, findings from this study demonstrate that college-going AAEL students encounter multifaceted linguistic, mental, social, and academic challenges that are minimized or neglected under stereotypes. Because they were assumed to be successful and demonstrated individual resilience and persistence, their challenges often went unrecognized, leading to mixed college-going outcomes with unfulfilled goals. Implications are provided for educators who work with AAEL and other underrepresented students.

Author

• Lei Jiang, University of Kansas
  Presenting Author