“Aquí Había Mejores Oportunidades”: Migration Reasons, Language, and Educational Opportunities Within Mexican American Families

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Culturally Sustaining Principles and Literacy Praxis (Table 11)

Abstract

In the U.S., almost half of the parents of children 0-10 are immigrants. Spanish is the top language spoken in immigrant households. Nonetheless, Spanish language attrition is common across second- and third-generation immigrants. This mixed-method study investigates migration reasons, challenges, and opportunities within Mexican American families. In the quantitative phase, 99 parents completed questionnaires whereas their children completed language assessments. In the qualitative phase, four parents were interviewed. Results showed that almost half of the parents migrated for better jobs or educational opportunities. Correlations revealed negative associations between parents’ length of stay and children’s Spanish vocabulary. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that, despite the language and cultural challenges, parents learned to utilize resources, demonstrating their resilience.

Authors

• Maria Belen Buttiler, University of California - Davis

• Nereyda Tavira-Virelas, University of California - Davis

• Qing Zhou, University of California - Berkeley

• Yuuko Uchikoshi, University of California - Davis