Narrative research offers unique possibilities for fostering dialogues of discovery between oneself and others. There is an increasing use of narrative inquiry within the field of educational research. A researcher's work with a Hmong refugee from Laos illustrates representational and interpretive dilemmas in narrative research. Narrative…

The relationship between Hmong refugees, immigration policies, and the United States educational system is examined. First, the immigration process and policy development are discussed. Federal intentions toward the Hmong refugees and the educational reality are then contrasted, and the reasons for policy failure are examined. It is contended that…

The experiences of a Hmong man from Laos who has spent 15 years in the United States illustrate the possibilities of being both Hmong and American and demonstrate the acculturation process even as they show what it means to become American. The three values of resourcefulness, relationship, and respect are an integral part of the identity of Shou…

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) provides a comprehensive measure of intelligence, whereas the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) provides a quick measure of intelligence, requiring less than 30 minutes to administer. Since both tests are frequently used in clinical settings and in schools for initial…

This ethnographic study explored Hmong cultural and educational values. The interview data revealed some Hmong values similar to mainstream American values such as a respect for hard work; a concern about personal honor; and honesty. Some values, however, were in conflict with dominant American values such as: a strong clan-oriented society; a…

This paper discusses differences between the Hmong culture and American culture and resulting implications for provision of special education services. The Hmong population in the Fresno County (California) area has consistently grown since 1977, reaching approximately 26,500 in 1990. The major reason that Hmong refugees settled in agricultural…

For a number of reasons, U.S. educational policy has failed to integrate the Hmong into the mainstream of American life. First, lacking transferrable job skills, the Hmong were further disadvantaged by the inability of public schools and contracted English-as-a-Second-Language schools to assimilate traditional Hmong culture with new settlement…

The concept of adolescence as a period during which certain kinds of behavior are to be expected has become institionalized in the American education system; acceptance of this "rite of passage" creates barriers for adolescent female refugees from the Hmong and Mien hilltribes of Laos, whose cultures do not include the concept of…

Focus groups with Hmong American undergraduates examined their educational experiences in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Over 25 years after the first Hmong refugees arrived, cultural difference is still used to explain the status of Hmong communities. Hmong children are said to be excelling in school, though reports do not consider the high numbers of…

This document examines the themes of adult learning, generativity, and successful aging against the backdrop of the biography of a Hmong refugee who immigrated to the United States in 1988 at the age of 35, began studying English as a second language (ESL), and continues to study ESL in adult education classes while six of his seven children…

Information on the Hmong (Mong) people living in Wisconsin, their educational background, the reasons they came to the United States, and the problems they are facing is provided. The Hmong are a closely knit ethnic group from Laos who migrated there from China in the 18th century. The Hmong began arriving in the United States in the late 1970s as…

This study documented English acquisition by a group of Hmong adult immigrants over a period of one year, and explored the factors that appeared to be affecting their progress. Based on three measures (a test of listening comprehension, communication, fluency, reading, and writing; a pictured English vocabulary recognition test; and a written…

Comparing Hmong families with other ethnic or cultural groups (whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, and other Asians), this study examined family-related supports and risks in a low-income, ethnically diverse sample of 242 children entering kindergarten in St. Paul, Minnesota. All kindergarten children from 23 kindergartens in 6 elementary…

A study of Hmong adult immigrants in a Hmong literacy class investigated four aspects of their learning behaviors: specific behaviors manifested in the literacy classroom; overt learning strategies used for literacy learning; major motivations; and specific uses for Hmong literacy skills. Data were gathered through observation, interviews,…

Conflicts between traditional Hmong values and traditional American parenting values are explored, drawing on the experiences of a coordinator of an Even Start program serving Hmong parents. Even Start is a state-funded early childhood intervention program with a literacy component for parents with less than an eighth grade proficiency in reading…