Culture shock

A normal stage that all newcomers to the U.S. experience.  Being in a strange place and losing the power to communicate can disrupt one’s world view, self-identity, thinking system, actions, and feelings.  

Most ELLs go through stages of culture shock before they are comfortable with the new language: 

• Euphoric or Honeymoon Stage: During this stage, newcomers are excited about their new lives.
• Rejection Stage: At this stage, the differences between the new culture and the old one become more apparent to newcomers. They reject their new surroundings because there is so much they do not understand. Students at this stage may refuse to learn the new language. Some students become aggressive and act out their frustrations.
• Regression Stage: At this stage, ELLs are frustrated because they cannot communicate and are bombarded with unfamiliar surroundings, unreadable social signals, and a barrage of new sounds. They are homesick and miss their family, friends, and familiar sights and sounds.
• Integration Stage: In this stage, newcomers start to deal with differences between the old and new cultures. Parents may become alarmed at this stage because they do not want children to lose their L1 and culture.
• Acceptance Stage: Newcomers are now able to enter and prosper in the mainstream culture. They accept both cultures and combine them into their lives.