Abstract
Purpose. In California, as of 2010, 11,423,146 people were of Mexican origin. This percentage is expected to grow and represent 46% of the nation's population by 2020. In order for less-educated LEP adults and their children to integrate successfully into the U.S. economic and social mainstream, they will need to develop their English language reading and writing skills. Research on Mexican migrant workers will increase access to a growing people within the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the degree of proficiency in English interrelated with the value of importance Mexican migrant farm workers placed on 5 sociocultural composites: competence, practical concerns, upward mobility, biculturality, and being informed. Methodology. The data were collected from 2 sets of participants. One population was Mexican migrant farm workers who lived in Hardison Ranch from 1980-1990 for 1 year. The second population was migrant farm workers who currently live in Arvin Farm Labor Center. After descriptive analyses were conducted, an independent-samples t test was used to test for statistically significant differences in responses between the 2 groups identified as migrant farm workers from Hardison Ranch and migrant farm workers from Arvin Farm Labor Center. Additionally, an ANOVA was performed to determine statistically significant differences between 4 English language proficiency groups: fluent in English, intermediate English, limited in English, and those who do not know English. Findings. Upward mobility was rated as the most important reason by migrant farm workers for learning English. This was followed at great distance by practical concern. The third most important sociological composite reason for learning English was competence, and the fourth most important was being informed. The composite least likely to be viewed as important was biculturality. Conclusions and Recommendations. It is made evident that acquiring a second language is complex, and the techniques and models used to do so are still evolving. Education institutes need to expand on parent education, literacy, and English language program.