Language Barriers and Cultural Sensitivity

Interview questions

General information about interviewee

1.  Where did you come from? (asking country, city name, geographical location etc.).

2. Why did you come to the United States? 

3. When did you come to the United States?
    Have you lived in other places in the United States?

4. If you know about your country, could you explain a little bit about your    
    country? (location, weather, population, social, political, and economical backgrounds)

5.  What is your main purpose in the United States?  (to learn English or to enter college)

6.  How many sisters and brothers do you have?

7.  What is your father’s profession?

8.   What is your status? (Immigrants, studying abroad, refuse)

9.  Whom do you currently live with?

10.  What kinds of difficulties do you have in living in the United States? (language
       problems, school problems, friends, foods, transportations, and culture)

11.  Who decided to come in the United States?

Educational background

12.  After you graduate from middle school or high school, do you plan to go college?

13.  What do you plan to study?

14.  How long have you been studied in the United States?

15.  Are you still studying at ESL (English Studying Language) course?

16.  Before you come to the United Stated how did you learn English? (at school or
        private tutor, grew up American school)

Identify difficulties and problems (language problems, school life, cultural assimilation, and parents support and activities)

17.    Can you read English easily?

18.   How do you practice your essay or writing?

19.   Do you communicate freely with your teachers and classmates without any   
        problems?

20.   What subject is the most difficult one?

21.  What subject is the easiest one?

22. I think that you encounter several kinds of difficulties at school life.  What kinds  
      of difficulties do you have?  Could you explain to me? (understanding class,
      listening, writing, doing assignments, lack of vocabulary, a difference of
      teaching/learning methods, and different school environment)

23.  How well do you understand your classes? (less than 30%, 50%, 70%, 90% etc.)

24.  When you do not understand a class, how do you feel?

25. When you have to involve group project, do you feel comfortable or not?  If it is not
      comfortable, why do you think it is not comfortable?

26. Whenever you face oral communication problems in class or with friends, how do
       you feel?  Could you please explain your feelings to me?

27. How do you solve your assignment?  Is there is anybody helping you?

28. Do you like having a group study?  Have you had an experience a group study?

29. When you write essay or do assignment, who correct your grammar or punctuations? 

30. What makes you disappointed in your classroom settings?  (can not communicate
      with your teacher and classmates, do not understand class, uncomfortable relationship
      between classmates and myself etc.)

31.   Have you experienced difficulties because of different teaching and learning
        experience?  (Most Asian students are not accustomed to discussion and
        critical thought and do not ask the questions to instructors).

32.  How often do you experience embarrassment in your classroom setting because  
       you misunderstood something?  (Because of wrong interpretation you did your     
       assignments wrong way or didn’t assignments).

33.  Did you experience sadness or grief because of your inability of academic 
       achievement?

34.  Did you experience social disconnectedness and isolation because of cultural
       shock?  How did you solve this problem?  What is your suggestion to overcome
       social disconnectedness and isolation?

35.  To accomplish your academic goal, what are the best solutions to overcome these 
        difficulties – language problems, peer group relationships, and cultural gap? 
        (give me specific solutions)

Parents support and Activities

36. Do your parents attend PTA?

37.  Do your parents help your assignments?

38.  How much are your parents interested in your school life?   Do you often talk
       your school life to your parents?

39.  Except school activities, what kinds of outside activities do you do?

40. What kind of community activities do you involved in?