Haitian Linguistic and Cultural Practices: Critical Meaning-Making Spaces for Haitian Learners

<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>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Urban Education

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Cerat, Marie L

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ofelia Garcia

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Stephen Brier
• Nicholas Michelli
• Jean Y. Plaisir

• Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
• Haiti
• language
• culture
• semiotics
• social semiotics
• discourse

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2052

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-3098