In conducting qualitative research, scholars often grapple with positionality. Researcher positionality refers to how various social identities (i.e. gender, race, class, ethnicity, ability, geographical location) influence research methods. It examines the impact of researchers' social identities on their understanding of the research design,…

In elementary classrooms, teaching immigration often begins and ends at Ellis Island--without discussions of racist migration policies or engagement with current issues. Although contemporary immigration is rarely discussed with elementary students, the number of young people from immigrant and/or refugee backgrounds in the U.S. continues to rise.…

This study reviews empirical data from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey (ACS) and academic journals to explore K-12 and higher educational outcomes pertaining to Southeast Asian American (SEAA) males. We argue that the empirical dismissal of SEAA males in social science research reinforces a longstanding agenda of structural neglect and…

In her ethnographic study of Lao American students at an urban, public high school, Bic Ngo shows how simplistic accounts of these students smooth over unfinished, precarious identities and contested social relations. Exploring the ways that immigrant youth identities are shaped by dominant discourses that simplify and confine their experiences…

Many factors interact to create barriers to dietary and exercise plan adherence among medically underserved patients with chronic disease, but aspects related to culture and ethnicity are underexamined in the literature. Using both qualitative ("n" = 71) and quantitative ("n" = 297) data collected in a 4-year, multimethod study…

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious global public health issue. At least one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than three women in the United States die every day from physical abuse suffered at the hands of an intimate…

Similar to other Asian American students, Southeast Asian American students are often stereotyped by the popular press as hardworking and high-achieving model minorities. On the other hand, Southeast Asian American youth are also depicted as low-achieving high school dropouts involved in gangs. The realities of academic performance and persistence…

This research anthology is the fourth volume in a series sponsored by the Special Interest Group Research on the Education of Asian and Pacific Americans (SIG-REAPA) of the American Educational Research Association and National Association for Asian and Pacific American Education. This series explores and explains the lived experiences of Asian…

Describes the sponsorship of a group of Laotian refugees in a Vermont community. (GC)

Teachers must be sensitive to the diverse cultures and the sometimes difficult personal experiences of Southeast Asian immigrant students. Varied conditions of arrival have a significant impact on their adaption to life in the United States. Earlier Vietnamese immigrants were more educated and Westernized compared to later Vietnamese, Cambodian,…

Based on interviews with Laotian refugees living in Kentucky, illustrates characteristics of Lao religion that affect the adaptation of these refugees to life in the United States. Provides a glossary of terms. (GC)

After a brief description of the origins and languages of the three major groups of Indochinese refugees in the United States--Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians--and short references to subgroups, 20 observations on the general cultural traits of the Indochinese are given. These observations touch on the following: the importance of harmonious…

The study described in this paper focuses on English language acquisition by adult Hmong Laotian immigrants in an English as a Second Language (ESL) program in a city in the Northeastern United States. Preexistent levels of literacy and second language familiarity are discounted as influences on the speed of students' acquisition of language.…

A questionnaire was given to 33 Indochinese (Vietnamese and Laotian) immigrant parents residing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in order to discover their views of the education their elementary school children were receiving. The results indicated that the parents were, in general, pleased with their children's education. Many felt, however, that…

The perceptions of Laotian refugee parents about what constitutes a "best teacher" were studied. The study focused on the Lao Loum ethnic group, and did not include members of Hmong or other ethnic minority groups. Twenty-eight Likert-based interviews were conducted with Laotian refugee parents residing in 5 states in the United States. Parent…