Identity, language socialization, investment, and power dynamics in L2 English among Burmese women refugees

The following study investigated the naturalistic L2 English encounters of 5 Burmese women refugees in the United States. Identity, language socialization, investment, and power dynamics were precursory themes used as a framework throughout the investigation. Data were collected from questionnaires, interviews, and language journals over a three month period of time. Following the data collection process, the information was reviewed in a recursive manner in an effort to identify elements of the precursory themes and any other themes that arose. It was found that the participants spoke English primarily while shopping and during medical encounters. These experiences were often negative and shed light on the participant's identity and power dynamics. Language socialization and investment did not appear as themes within the data. The findings of this research may aid educators working with refugee populations in understanding their students' naturalistic L2 experiences which could have implications in the classroom.