The anxiety surrounding immigration issues can put unusual pressures on immigrant students. Worry over being able to meet their own and their families’ expectations and “make it” as well as conflicts with their pre-arrival expectations of the new environment can cause significant stress (Hailu et al., 2012, citing Murphy, 2006). Additionally, and particularly as immigrants begin to acquire the local language, the acquisition of an additional language challenges our sense of self.
This can put immigrant students at a disadvantage because people acquire language better when their affective filters are not interfering.