Aging in a Second Language

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

   PDF

2. Introduction: Aging, Immigration, and Second Language Learning in the Hispanic Population

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 1-15

3. A Case Study of an English Learner Speech Community

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 17-30

4. Minority Aging in an Immigrant Context

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 31-46

5. Late-Life Second Language Acquisition: Cognitive and Psycholinguistic Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 47-67

6. Social Constructivism and the Role of Place for Immigrant Language Learners

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 69-86

7. Building Emotions for Self-Identity and Learning

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 87-103

8. Practicing Safe Language Socialization in Private and Public Spaces

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 105-118

9. Language Resocialization and Gender Allies

   • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

   Pages 119-133

10. Conclusion: Aging, Second Language Acquisition, and Health

    • Steven L. Arxer, Maria del Puy Ciriza, Marco Shappeck

    Pages 135-147

11. Back Matter

    Pages 149-154

    PDF

​This unique account of English language acquisition by Latino elders shines intimate light on the increasingly complex concerns of aging immigrant minority populations. Rich qualitative findings detail sociocultural barriers to and social and emotive factors that promote second language acquisition in older age. The book’s case study highlights diverse cognitive and social processes as elders establish a sense of self as learners and as part of a learning community, and a sense of place as newcomers navigating a challenging environment. And first-person comments from the group members deftly illustrate the intricacies of being an immigrant in a rapidly changing America as well as the myriad intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, culture, and country that shape immigrant life.

 Included in the coverage:

•         Minority aging in an immigrant context.
  
•         Late-life second language acquisition: cognitive andpsycholinguistic changes, challenges, and opportunities.
  
•          Building emotions for self-identity and learning.
  
•          Practicing safe language socialization in private and public spaces.
  
•          Language resocialization and gender allies.
  
•          Aging, second language acquisition, and health.
  

Aging in a Second Language gives clinical social workers, gerontologists, health and cross-cultural psychologists, sociologists, educators and other professionals deep insights into the lives of an emerging active elder population. It also pinpoints challenges and opportunities in research, literacy program design, pedagogy, clinical outreach, education policy, and service delivery to immigrant elders. 

• English as second language
• aging in a second language
• Latino immigrants language
• English learner speech community
• immigration and language socialization
• aging in place
• aging as a Hispanic in a second language
• aging, immigration, and language
• language effect and immigrant well-being
• older Hispanic language acquisition
• teaching English to older Latino immigrants
• social constructivism and immigrant language learners
• social networks for Hispanic immigrants learning English
• language resocialization
• immigrant aging and language
• Mexican origin population and English language
• language acquisition and sociological status
• language assimilation and socioeconomic status

• Department of Sociology and Psychology, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, USA

  Steven L. Arxer

• Department of Spanish and Hispanic Studies, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, USA

  Maria del Puy Ciriza

• Department of Teacher Education and Administration, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, USA

  Marco Shappeck

Steven L. Arxer, Ph.D. is associate professor at the University of North Texas at Dallas in the Department of Sociology and Psychology. He specializes in qualitative research on minority populations, with a focus on intersectionality, aging and development.

Maria Ciriza-Lope, Ph.D. is assistant professor at the University of North Texas at Dallas in the Department of Languages and Communication. She is an expert on language contact, Spanish heritage language pedagogy and language revitalization movements.

Marco Shappeck, Ph.D. is assistant professor at the University of North Texas at Dallas in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. He specializes in linking education applications of sociolinguistic research to the teaching of English and Spanish as a second or foreign language.

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