Acculturation experiences of different migrant groups have been shown to vary as a function of s... more Acculturation experiences of different migrant groups have been shown to vary as a function of such factors as their strength and status in the host society (Giles and Johnson, 1987) and the magnitude and character of their cultural divergence from the dominant host group, as manifested, for example, in racial, religious and cultural differences (Schwartz et al., 2006). Although the waves of immigration from the FSU and Ethiopia coincided temporally, Russian immigrants to Israel constituted a strong group demographically and their pride in their ethnic culture is apparent (Kheimets and Epstein, 2001), while the immigrants from Ethiopia constitute a small community with limited economic and socio-cultural resources. A theoretically-based model was used as a template to create 'fitted' models best describing the contributory impact of identity on language orientation for diverse ethnic communities within the broader theoretical framework of the migration process (Golan- Cook and Olshtain, 2011). The models derived through Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) for each of these immigrant groups in two independent studies are described in this chapter, allowing us to examine similarities and differences between the acculturation processes of students from these two ethnic communities in Israel.
Path analysis provides social science researchers with a powerful tool for conducting theory guid... more Path analysis provides social science researchers with a powerful tool for conducting theory guided empirical studies with multiple variables. This case presents a step-by-step description of how we used path analysis to examine immigrants' acculturation in multicultural societies. We describe a series of papers we published based on two distinct research studies that used a common instrument. The process of building a path analysis model is explained, specifying how to utilize a theory, build a questionnaire, and develop a model with your data. The case ends with a discussion of some of the lessons learned in our prior research and suggests how to continue this research in the future.
Page 1. DEVELOPING A MEASURE OF SOCIOCULTURAL COMPETENCE: THE CASE OF APOLOGY' Andrew D. Coh... more Page 1. DEVELOPING A MEASURE OF SOCIOCULTURAL COMPETENCE: THE CASE OF APOLOGY' Andrew D. Cohen The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Elite Olshtain2 The Tel Aviv University For a number of years, there ...
Perspectives on Language and Language Development, 2005
... Hebrew vocabulary and its place in Hebrew language teaching. Mixlala, Mexkar, Yiun ve-Yitzira... more ... Hebrew vocabulary and its place in Hebrew language teaching. Mixlala, Mexkar, Yiun ve-Yitzira 5, p. 1325 (in Hebrew). Olshtain, E. & Cohen, E. (2000). Cohesion in instructional texts. ... Discourse Processes, 15, 135. Sarel, Z. (1991). Introduction to discourse analysis. ...
... the second language use. The onset of re-using L1 results in erosion of the linguistic perfor... more ... the second language use. The onset of re-using L1 results in erosion of the linguistic performance of the second language, therefore in language attrition, similar to the process defined by Seliger. It is important to distinguish ...
... In this context, to ensure true societal mobility and maintain group ideology, both ... with ... more ... In this context, to ensure true societal mobility and maintain group ideology, both ... with the various cultural communities, developing knowledge about cultural traditions and group ideologies, might be ... Mirkam Stories (2000) Tel Aviv, Israel: The Center for Educational Technology. ...
The current study investigated the effectiveness of an early balanced computer-assisted intervent... more The current study investigated the effectiveness of an early balanced computer-assisted intervention program in promoting comprehension skills among Arabic-speaking first graders from disadvantaged socio-economic background, when taking into account the interplay between risk factors impacting Arabic reading acquisition: Arabic language complexity, poor literacy skills and the cognitive and emotional challenges when commencing formal schooling. Forty at literacy-risk Arab first graders were randomly assigned to either the intervention or a comparison group, each including 20 children. A qualified tutor was assigned to each participants in the intervention group. To assess the children’s progress in the intervention group, measurements were carried across three different periods during the implementation of the program. In addition, comprehension assessments were administrated to both groups prior and after the program commencement and completion, respectively. The intervention group...
Acculturation experiences of different migrant groups have been shown to vary as a function of s... more Acculturation experiences of different migrant groups have been shown to vary as a function of such factors as their strength and status in the host society (Giles and Johnson, 1987) and the magnitude and character of their cultural divergence from the dominant host group, as manifested, for example, in racial, religious and cultural differences (Schwartz et al., 2006). Although the waves of immigration from the FSU and Ethiopia coincided temporally, Russian immigrants to Israel constituted a strong group demographically and their pride in their ethnic culture is apparent (Kheimets and Epstein, 2001), while the immigrants from Ethiopia constitute a small community with limited economic and socio-cultural resources. A theoretically-based model was used as a template to create 'fitted' models best describing the contributory impact of identity on language orientation for diverse ethnic communities within the broader theoretical framework of the migration process (Golan- Cook and Olshtain, 2011). The models derived through Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) for each of these immigrant groups in two independent studies are described in this chapter, allowing us to examine similarities and differences between the acculturation processes of students from these two ethnic communities in Israel.
Path analysis provides social science researchers with a powerful tool for conducting theory guid... more Path analysis provides social science researchers with a powerful tool for conducting theory guided empirical studies with multiple variables. This case presents a step-by-step description of how we used path analysis to examine immigrants' acculturation in multicultural societies. We describe a series of papers we published based on two distinct research studies that used a common instrument. The process of building a path analysis model is explained, specifying how to utilize a theory, build a questionnaire, and develop a model with your data. The case ends with a discussion of some of the lessons learned in our prior research and suggests how to continue this research in the future.
Page 1. DEVELOPING A MEASURE OF SOCIOCULTURAL COMPETENCE: THE CASE OF APOLOGY' Andrew D. Coh... more Page 1. DEVELOPING A MEASURE OF SOCIOCULTURAL COMPETENCE: THE CASE OF APOLOGY' Andrew D. Cohen The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Elite Olshtain2 The Tel Aviv University For a number of years, there ...
Perspectives on Language and Language Development, 2005
... Hebrew vocabulary and its place in Hebrew language teaching. Mixlala, Mexkar, Yiun ve-Yitzira... more ... Hebrew vocabulary and its place in Hebrew language teaching. Mixlala, Mexkar, Yiun ve-Yitzira 5, p. 1325 (in Hebrew). Olshtain, E. & Cohen, E. (2000). Cohesion in instructional texts. ... Discourse Processes, 15, 135. Sarel, Z. (1991). Introduction to discourse analysis. ...
... the second language use. The onset of re-using L1 results in erosion of the linguistic perfor... more ... the second language use. The onset of re-using L1 results in erosion of the linguistic performance of the second language, therefore in language attrition, similar to the process defined by Seliger. It is important to distinguish ...
... In this context, to ensure true societal mobility and maintain group ideology, both ... with ... more ... In this context, to ensure true societal mobility and maintain group ideology, both ... with the various cultural communities, developing knowledge about cultural traditions and group ideologies, might be ... Mirkam Stories (2000) Tel Aviv, Israel: The Center for Educational Technology. ...
The current study investigated the effectiveness of an early balanced computer-assisted intervent... more The current study investigated the effectiveness of an early balanced computer-assisted intervention program in promoting comprehension skills among Arabic-speaking first graders from disadvantaged socio-economic background, when taking into account the interplay between risk factors impacting Arabic reading acquisition: Arabic language complexity, poor literacy skills and the cognitive and emotional challenges when commencing formal schooling. Forty at literacy-risk Arab first graders were randomly assigned to either the intervention or a comparison group, each including 20 children. A qualified tutor was assigned to each participants in the intervention group. To assess the children’s progress in the intervention group, measurements were carried across three different periods during the implementation of the program. In addition, comprehension assessments were administrated to both groups prior and after the program commencement and completion, respectively. The intervention group...
Migrants' perceptions of intergroup relations and ethnic group status in the host society are bel... more Migrants' perceptions of intergroup relations and ethnic group status in the host society are believed to be central to identity reconstruction (Giles and Johnson, 1987). Previous research validates this position in the case of immigrant students from Ethiopia in Israeli colleges (Golan-Cook et al., 2014), where ethnic identity increased as a function of perceptions of ethnolinguistic vitality- a measure used to measure 'group status' in the social milieu. However, in the case at hand, the objectively low-vitality status of the Ethiopian community in Israel, coupled with perceptions of racial discrimination, creates challenges for migrants who eagerly adopt the dominant Israeli identity while striving to maintain their indigenous identity. The impact of subjective experiences of discrimination on identity reconstruction and overall well-being of migrants have been well-documented in migration research (e.g., Liebkind et al., 2004). The migrants’ perceptions of ethnic identity, subjective ethnolinguistic vitality, and need for social change were examined through Simultaneous Equations Modeling (path analysis), taking into account such demographic variables as age at migration. A "best fit" model is presented, which shows how Ethiopian Israelis who maintain their indigenous identity perceive greater group inequalities, and those amongst them with more tenure in the country express greater expectations for social change.
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