Navigating the transition from the American into the Mexican educational system: Transnational students’ experiences

ABSTRACT

Over the last decade, unprecedented numbers of students of Mexican origin have been transitioning from the U.S. to Mexico. The presence of these students in Mexican schools has raised concerns regarding the challenges they face and the possible squandering of their linguistic and cultural asset. In this article, we contribute to an understanding of the question of why some individuals experience this transition as difficult, but not others. Drawing on a research project about the experiences of migrant students in public elementary schools of Tamaulipas, Mexico, we analyze how migrant children’s narratives portray the interrelationship between migratory moves, schooling experiences, and the implications this has for their bicultural and bilingual identities. The phenomenological approach of the study suggests that participants’ narratives emphasize the interplay between individual identities and the wider sociolinguistic, institutional and political context, which lead to divergent processes and outcomes of their transition. Implications for further research and policy are outlined.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas [INVUAT-19-17].

Notes on contributors

Nelly Paulina Trejo Guzmán

Nelly Paulina Trejo Guzmán holds a Doctoral degree from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. She is a professor of applied linguistics at Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. Her research interests include professional development, bilingualism and identity formation.

Alberto Mora Vázquez

Alberto Mora Vázquez works at Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México. He holds a Doctoral degree from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. He also holds a Master’s degree from the University of Texas Pan-American, U.S. His research interests include language teacher education and language and identity issues in migration contexts.

Karla Lorena Andrade Rubio

Karla Lorena Andrade Rubio holds a Doctoral degree from Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. She is a member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers. Her research interests include international migration and human rights.