This dissertation is concerned with the effects of the exclusion of Haitian linguistic and cultural practices in the education of Haitian learners. Through qualitative data collection and analysis, a set of texts and narratives in the Haitian Creole language, Rara and Vèvè practices were inventoried, reviewed and described. Moreover, a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews were conducted with Haitian adolescents and Haitian parents with school age children living in New York. These interviews revealed that Haitians deeply value their cultural knowledge, and view them as resources for knowledge preservation and knowledge production. Textual analysis also shows that Haitians and their practices are misunderstood and negatively perceived in society.
We conclude that Haitian linguistic and cultural practices represent significant learning sites for Haitian learners. And, the inclusion of Haitian cultural heritage, knowledge and epistemology in the schooling experiences of Haitian students has the potential to improve their academic production and performance through increased self-esteem, pride and confidence, as well as increase familial engagement.
","abstract_html":"<p>This dissertation is concerned with the effects of the exclusion of Haitian linguistic and cultural practices in the education of Haitian learners. Through qualitative data collection and analysis, a set of texts and narratives in the Haitian Creole language, Rara and Vèvè practices were inventoried, reviewed and described. Moreover, a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews were conducted with Haitian adolescents and Haitian parents with school age children living in New York. These interviews revealed that Haitians deeply value their cultural knowledge, and view them as resources for knowledge preservation and knowledge production. Textual analysis also shows that Haitians and their practices are misunderstood and negatively perceived in society.</p> <p>We conclude that Haitian linguistic and cultural practices represent significant learning sites for Haitian learners. And, the inclusion of Haitian cultural heritage, knowledge and epistemology in the schooling experiences of Haitian students has the potential to improve their academic production and performance through increased self-esteem, pride and confidence, as well as increase familial engagement.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cerat, Marie L"],"institution":"The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Urban Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Ofelia Garcia"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Stephen Brier","Nicholas Michelli","Jean Y. Plaisir"],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:59:30Z","subjects":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Haiti","language","culture","semiotics","social semiotics","discourse"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2052","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Ofelia Garcia"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Stephen Brier","Nicholas Michelli","Jean Y. Plaisir"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cerat, Marie L"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2023-06-02T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Urban Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Haiti","language","culture","semiotics","social semiotics","discourse"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2052"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation is concerned with the effects of the exclusion of Haitian linguistic and cultural practices in the education of Haitian learners. Through qualitative data collection and analysis, a set of texts and narratives in the Haitian Creole language, Rara and Vèvè practices were inventoried, reviewed and described. Moreover, a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews were conducted with Haitian adolescents and Haitian parents with school age children living in New York. These interviews revealed that Haitians deeply value their cultural knowledge, and view them as resources for knowledge preservation and knowledge production. Textual analysis also shows that Haitians and their practices are misunderstood and negatively perceived in society.
We conclude that Haitian linguistic and cultural practices represent significant learning sites for Haitian learners. And, the inclusion of Haitian cultural heritage, knowledge and epistemology in the schooling experiences of Haitian students has the potential to improve their academic production and performance through increased self-esteem, pride and confidence, as well as increase familial engagement.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Haitian Linguistic and Cultural Practices: Critical Meaning-Making Spaces for Haitian Learners"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Ofelia Garcia"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Stephen Brier","Nicholas Michelli","Jean Y. Plaisir"],"dc:creator":["Cerat, Marie L"],"dc:date.available":["2023-06-02T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This dissertation is concerned with the effects of the exclusion of Haitian linguistic and cultural practices in the education of Haitian learners. Through qualitative data collection and analysis, a set of texts and narratives in the Haitian Creole language, Rara and Vèvè practices were inventoried, reviewed and described. Moreover, a series of focus groups and ethnographic interviews were conducted with Haitian adolescents and Haitian parents with school age children living in New York. These interviews revealed that Haitians deeply value their cultural knowledge, and view them as resources for knowledge preservation and knowledge production. Textual analysis also shows that Haitians and their practices are misunderstood and negatively perceived in society.
We conclude that Haitian linguistic and cultural practices represent significant learning sites for Haitian learners. And, the inclusion of Haitian cultural heritage, knowledge and epistemology in the schooling experiences of Haitian students has the potential to improve their academic production and performance through increased self-esteem, pride and confidence, as well as increase familial engagement.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2052"],"dc:subject":["Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education","Haiti","language","culture","semiotics","social semiotics","discourse"],"dc:title":["Haitian Linguistic and Cultural Practices: Critical Meaning-Making Spaces for Haitian Learners"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Urban Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:59:30Z"}