Culturally relevant literacy practices: a case of a Brazilian emergent bilingual
type: CreativeWork
description: This study examines the case of Anita, a Brazilian emergent bilingual, studying and living in the United States. It highlights the critical issue of culturally relevant literacy learning in and out-of-school, focusing in Anita’s, her parent’s and teachers’ perspectives on literacy and culturally relevant literacy practices, asking: What are the practices and resources considered culturally relevant for supporting second language literacy learning of the Brazilian emergent bilingual participating in this study? This study investigates the different perspectives on literacy and literacy practices for different participants. It examines how participants’ notions of culturally relevant literacy practices shape their practices and affect the participating child experiences with literacy in different contexts (e.g., classroom to classroom and home vs. school). I framed this study based on sociocultural views of learning and teaching (Freire, 1972; Street, 2000; Vygotsky, 1978). The analysis of the data shows that participants conceptualized literacy, and culturally relevant literacy practices, from mainly two perspectives: “Inside-out,” that is, from children’s social worlds and needs; and “Outside-In,” emerging from “outside ” features from the institution and its demands. Based on these perspectives parents and teachers facilitate literacy practices and determine which literacy practices are relevant. Discrepancies between these practices produced certain tensions for the child and for the family. In this case, I suggest ways in which researchers, administrators, policymakers, and teachers might begin to think of “culturally relevant” literacy practices. I highlight the importance of understanding the children’s social worlds and their “funds of knowledge” (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005; Moll, Amanti, Neff, & González, 1992). I discuss the necessity of being aware of individuals’ conceptualization of literacy and, thus, relevance because the concepts individuals hold a…
abstract: This study examines the case of Anita, a Brazilian emergent bilingual, studying and living in the United States. It highlights the critical issue of culturally relevant literacy learning in and out-of-school, focusing in Anita’s, her parent’s and teachers’ perspectives on literacy and culturally relevant literacy practices, asking: What are the practices and resources considered culturally relevant for supporting second language literacy learning of the Brazilian emergent bilingual participating in this study? This study investigates the different perspectives on literacy and literacy practices for different participants. It examines how participants’ notions of culturally relevant literacy practices shape their practices and affect the participating child experiences with literacy in different contexts (e.g., classroom to classroom and home vs. school). I framed this study based on sociocultural views of learning and teaching (Freire, 1972; Street, 2000; Vygotsky, 1978). The analysis of the data shows that participants conceptualized literacy, and culturally relevant literacy practices, from mainly two perspectives: “Inside-out,” that is, from children’s social worlds and needs; and “Outside-In,” emerging from “outside ” features from the institution and its demands. Based on these perspectives parents and teachers facilitate literacy practices and determine which literacy practices are relevant. Discrepancies between these practices produced certain tensions for the child and for the family. In this case, I suggest ways in which researchers, administrators, policymakers, and teachers might begin to think of “culturally relevant” literacy practices. I highlight the importance of understanding the children’s social worlds and their “funds of knowledge” (González, Moll, & Amanti, 2005; Moll, Amanti, Neff, & González, 1992). I discuss the necessity of being aware of individuals’ conceptualization of literacy and, thus, relevance because the concepts individuals hold a…
author: Felicio, Vivian Carla Andrade
language: en
keywords: Literacy practices, Culturally relevant literacy, bilingual education, Case study
date published: 2015-07-22T22:45:22Z
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:26:12Z
provider: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78739