The role of cultural factors affecting the academic achievement of Vietnamese/refugee students: A case study

Abstract

This dissertation reports the findings of a case study on the role of cultural factors affecting the academic achievement of Vietnamese immigrant students. The study involves six adolescents from three recent Vietnamese immigrant families: the students' school performance is mixed, some do well in school, others do not do as well. The study focuses on how cultural values or factors, especially a strong and unrelenting Vietnamese emphasis on education, combine with opportunities and restrictions in the local environment, the context of reception, to affect the students' achievement. The findings indicate that the Vietnamese immigrant success is not dependent on the parents' human capital, their socioeconomic standing, or their level of education in Vietnam, the usual predictors of school achievement. Instead, the main factors are the clear and unambiguous influence of family life and basic cultural values emphasizing school achievement, although these factors always interact with particular family and community conditions. Educators need to recognize the potential of the family and culture in promoting and producing educational achievement in Vietnamese children.