Abstract
In this study, I focus across cultures, specifically, across the Mexican American and Native Hawaiian cultures, at the similarities that exist between each culture and their approaches to literacy practices. Critical Race theorists view experiential knowledge as a strength from which to draw explicitly on lived life experiences of various people and cultures (Solorzano & Yosso, 2002). Consequently, we must recognize that each culture brings strong ethnic components including language that is genealogically tied to cultural and ethnic heritage and harnesses volumes of academic and linguistic capital and assets channeled into literacy development. Emphasis is on the language and literacy skills that Mexican American and Native Hawaiians contribute to their experiential and organic literacy practices from their educational experiences and their life literacies, and how these resources are used to mediate their learning. Additionally, I examine the pivotal role of culture on language, literacy, and learning to further probe the intersectionalities by addressing the parallels that exist between Mexican Americans and Native Hawaiians’ literacy practices. Learning about experiences Mexican American and Native Hawaiian communities have had with language and cultural immersion programs—both for children and for adults has helped to recognize the similarities and differences between the cultures. The surge in cultural and linguistic diversity across our country is a call for action and advocacy by leveraging organic literacy practices within multicultural contexts. There is an increased need for culturally sustaining and empowering pedagogical teaching and learning frameworks that appreciate cultural intentionality in our diverse and global student population.
Presenters
Isela AlmaguerProfessor and Endowed Chair in Education, Education, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Culture, Literacy, Language, Learning, Multiculturalism, Bilingualism
