The CATESOL Journal

Over the past several decades, the number of generation 1.5 immigrants attending California’s elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools has increased dramatically. However, many teachers, curriculum developers, administrators, and educational policymakers are still unaware of the special experiences, characteristics, and needs that these students may bring to the classroom. This article provides an overview and synthesis of scholarship relevant to generation 1.5 immigrants, in order to help readers develop more appropriate pedagogies, policies, and programs to meet these students’ needs. The following areas are addressed: (a) definitions of the generation 1.5 population; (b) the social, political, and economic context of post-1965 immigration; (c) adaptation, acculturation, and identity formation; (d) experiences in U.S. schools; (e) language acquisition and language practices; and (f) acquisition of academic literacy