Journal of Foreign Languages, Cultures & Civilizations

Literacy Acquisition among Arab ESL Students
Dr. Gamil Alamrani

Abstract
This is an ethnographic study of Arab ESL students that describes the social and cultural context of their literacy acquisition at the University of Arkansas. I examine the power relations that define this minority group in three environments outside school: the Mosque, the Arabian School, and the University of Arkansas Student Union. Then, I explain how these relations shape, transform, and sometimes threaten their cultural identities in the classroom. Unlike earlier studies that describe Arab ESL population as homogeneous and identical, my research argues the diversity of their experience, the differing processes of their identity formation, and their varied perspectives about schooling and life in their L2 environment. The study shows how factors such as age, experience and the length of stay at L2 environment, affect Arab students’ views regarding learning processes, teachers, texts, etc. The study concludes with some pedagogical implications that facilitate teaching and learning among this ESL group.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jflcc.v3n1a6