Sociolinguistic Challenges to Minority Collegiate Success: Entering the Discourse Community of the College

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Wesley White
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Discourse Community ◽  
College Level ◽  
Bridge Programs ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Preparatory Programs ◽  
The University

A significant body of research has examined the reasons behind high minority collegiate attrition. All of this work has contributed to our understanding of the unique challenges minority and first generation college students face in the difficult transition to the often new culture that is the college experience. One area that has gone virtually ignored in the literature, however, is the relationship of language, discourse, and literacy to collegiate success. Because the university comprises its own “discourse community”—with its own “ways with words”—those wishing to help minority students in their transition to college should not ignore students' levels of academic literacy. Rather, differences in language use contribute to many students' feelings of alienation from the academic and social culture of the academy. Fortunately, results from this study support the thesis that students lacking academic literacy may be able to learn it—and have a better chance at academic success—through the efforts of college-preparatory programs, college-level student academic services programs, pre-collegiate “bridge” programs, and college mentoring programs.

“Listen to the Feedback of Students”: First-Generation College Students Voice Inequalities in Schooling Brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 152102512110663
Author(s):  
Cassandra R. Davis ◽  
Harriet Hartman ◽  
Milanika Turner ◽  
Terri Norton ◽  
Julie Sexton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Students First ◽  
Return To College ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

In March 2020, the higher-education community faced one of its largest disruptions to date with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing campuses to close their doors to thousands of students. The university-wide closures prompted a collaboration between researchers and college administrators to assess the impact of COVID-19 on First-Generation College Students (FGCS). The team surveyed 659 FGCS across five U.S. universities to assess the ways in which the pandemic exacerbated already existing inequalities students faced in their persistence to graduate from college. The team used the social cognitive career theory as a conceptual framework for analysis. Our findings revealed that when respondents compared their life before COVID-19 with their present state, FGCS were less likely to perceive they had enough money to return to college, felt overwhelmed and lonely by added stress, and were more likely to see an increase in family responsibilities.

scholarly journals Decoding the Hidden Curriculum: Latino/a First Generation College Students’ Influence on Younger Siblings’ Educational Trajectory

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Delgado
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Research University ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Past Research ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Older Siblings

Past research demonstrates that familial and community support can aid the academic success of Latino/a students. However, few studies explore how older siblings influence their younger siblings’ education trajectory including primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Drawing on 25 in-depth interviews with Latino/a first generation college students at a large research university in Southern California, I find that older siblings assist their younger family members by (a) choosing schools, (b) assisting with reading comprehension, (c) helping with homework assignments, and (d) post high school preparation. In doing do, they demystify norms and rules about education and attempt to position their loved ones on a path of upward mobility. I capture the labor Latino/a children of immigrants provide to their families and how these contributions can result in tensions between parents and children. Findings advance frameworks in immigrant brokering, Latino/a families, and education.

Blazing a Trail to First Generation Success

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Jehangir Pheroze Bharucha
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Cultural Transition ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cultural Challenges ◽  
First Generation College

While higher education is rich in diversity and rewards, it can be particularly arduous for first-generation college students. This paper reports the results of a qualitative research study investigating the college experiences, identity development, and issues faced by this student subpopulation that moved from sixth-form and completed the undergraduate programme at a midsized public university in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. These students have faced and managed to overcome a host of academic, socio-economic, emotional, and cultural challenges. The parents' low socio-economic status is the biggest barrier to the academic success of these students. They viewed their status as a source of strength. The biggest cultural transition faced by the participants involved bringing their student identity home. It is hoped that the results of this study will offer some fresh perspectives into the continuing discussion on first generation students.

scholarly journals Improving transition rates of students in informal settlements into higher education: An analysis of the Macheo Mentoring Programme

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Kitawi
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Global North ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The University ◽  
Students Success

This research presents a viable way to encourage students in informal settlements to transit from high schools to tertiary institutions by focusing on the case of the Macheo Mentoring Programme of Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya. The aim was to investigate how the Macheo Mentoring Programme contributed to the academic success of final year students, with a focus on subjects and overall performance. Though Macheo has other aims, such as provision of life skills, the research examined mainly academic performance, providing insight to how universities can structure their own high-school mentoring programs, the processes that need to be in place and possible challenges they may experience. The research contributes to the literature on the university’s role in encouraging student participation. Information was gathered from a cross-sectional survey questionnaire of 72 parents and 76 students. Other qualitative information was gathered to provide insight to what could have contributed to students’ success and further augmented quantitative responses. The conclusion was that there is a link between mentorship and students’ success. Though this finding is similar to that of most studies undertaken in the Global North, this study aims to combat the dearth of such research in the Global South. The research indicates implicit connections between the university and community, which can be leveraged if they work together as partners. Keywords: university-community service; mentoring; transition to tertiary institutions; informal settlements

Addressing the Sophomore Slump: First-Generation College Students’ Completion of Year Two of Study in a Rural Bachelor’s Degree Granting College

2021 ◽  
pp. 152102512110148
Author(s):  
Davina Capik ◽  
Matthew Shupp
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
First Generation ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Sophomore Slump ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The University ◽  
Persistence Toward Graduation

There is limited research on the experiences of first-generation students who have completed their second year and enrolled for a third year in order to continue their studies even though this population of students are the most likely to drop out of college in their second year. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how current first-generation college students, who are enrolled or completed the second semester of their sophomore year, experience college as a first-generation student and made the decision to persist toward completing their bachelor’s degree. Through first-hand accounts of participants’ experiences of their time at the university, this study highlights what factors students contributed to their persistence toward graduation. The findings have the potential to facilitate a deeper understanding of what stakeholders working with first-generation college students can do to assist in retention efforts of this population.

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