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'Old School' in a New Millennium? Exploring Literacy Across Three Generations: a Qualitative Study on One Multi-Generational Mexcan-Descent Family Living in California

Abstract

Abstract

The focus of this study took into account the collective literacy and language learning experiences of one multi-generational Latino family in relation to their community public school. I sought to understand better the persistent contentions between public schooling literacy education and second language learners. I used a qualitative interpretive design to determine the types of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors associated with the lens of reading the word through content analysis of selected historical documents and the interviews of 22 family participants pooled from one multi-generational extended family.

Each participant was held accountable to the conditions of learning based on the influences of concurrent selected policy reforms. The major findings revealed that only 3 participants received instruction that included Spanish support. The remaining 19 participants from third to fifth generations experienced learning to read in English only mainstream classes. The discourse analysis of uptakes, footings, and frames showed that some participants responded to their learning experiences through uptake styles supporting attitudes of resignation, conflict, and assimilation. Even though policies for literacy reform purport to alleviate risks of illiteracy, risks for children with vulnerable language needs continue to lack adequate attention and support while meeting the demands of higher educational expectations.

Understanding learning to read from varied family experiences responding to institutional offerings is an important contribution to recognizing the complexities of navigating school culture for culturally and linguistically diverse children as they develop academic par with peer group native speakers of English.

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