IMMIGRATION STORIES IN THE EMERGENT BILINGUAL CLASSROOM: REVEALING FUNDS OF KNOWLEDGE AND BRAVE SPACES THROUGH LITERACY CURRICULUM

Abstract

The purpose of this practitioner inquiry study was to learn from students as they shared their life experiences, drawing from their stories to develop curriculum and instruction in an emergent bilingual classroom. The project argues that when relationships are prioritized with diverse students using a pedagogy of acompañamiento (Sepulveda, 2011), classrooms become spaces where students can share family stories, life experiences, and funds of knowledge - that is, the cultural, community, or life experiences that students possess (Moll et al., 1992; Gonzalez et al., 2005). This study focused on the stories of two high school emergent bilinguals that then were used to develop a culturally responsive framework. In phase one of the study, Nour’s digital immigration story focused on her father’s journey to America while a classmate created a presentation about Rabia’s personal immigration story. In phase two, Ali created two stories that focused on her mother and father’s immigration journey and wrote other family stories during the two years of this study. Sources included immigration stories, artifactual literacy projects, student interviews, and written family stories. Data was coded then classified into emerging themes (Cresswell & Poth, 2018). Recommendations based on the study include a call for projects focused on family and community in literacy curriculum, a need for “brave spaces,” where “courage” and understanding may be necessary when sharing sensitive information with new audiences (Arao & Clemens, 2013, p.141), and a recognition of how immigration shapes lives. This study also advocates for an asset-based curriculum designed for emergent bilinguals that continually reassesses the texts they produce to inform the design of culturally relevant pedagogies for literacy learning (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Gay 2010).