MADE IN AMERICA Response Q's: Intro and Chapter 1 (ENG394)

1) Olsen's study in this novel takes on an anthropological approach of viewing TESOL. She observes, interviews, and records the life of a highly diverse high school in California in order to gain better insight into how racial/social barriers are set-up among the students. In the novel, the author accounts her own observations, along with views of the students and school about certain societal issues that entail themselves into the school environment.

2) Olsen began her research with acknowledging the fact that she has to understand the complexities of immigration and Americanization. She defines schooling as a process where inequality is produced by sorting students by granting credentials from the school into appropriate school positions. She adds that it serves to shape individual's attitudes and identity to fit their class positions.

3) Olsen uses a ethnographic methodology (observing culture) for her research. She does this so that she can observe the environment of the school, the different cliques that the school exhibits. It helps her to visualize the seperations, and be able to gain insight to how they are layed out and why.

4) The participants of the study were 15 faculty members and administration at Madison High, 7 at the Newcomer School (ESL Program), 47 students, and 5 teachers.

5) A few of the Research Questions:
- How did they understand "America?" What does it mean to be "American?"
- What borders and boundaries did they create or detect in social relations? What language did they use to articulate and create borders and boundaries?
- How did they experience and view their encounters with each other across languages, cultures, and national identities?

6) She gained some data sources through census reports and school reports, while gaining her information through keeping three journals with three different personalities within herself. (The storyteller, the anthropologist, and the advocate)

7) The researcher's roles are to observe the school environment among the students and staff. She views them in and out of the classroom, so that she can see the "boundaries" created and how they effect the students' views on their education and social-lives in school and outside in the community.

8) Demographics: 32.8% white, 26.1% hispanic, 13.5% African-American, 13.3% Asian, 11.1% Filpino, 2.4% Pacific Islander, <1% Native-American