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Exploring the Literacy Development of Russian and Somali ESL Learners: a Collaborative Ethnography

Panferov, Suzanne Kathryn
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1028234878

Abstract Details

2002, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Studies: Hums, Science, Tech and Voc.
Recently there has been an increase in immigration and migration in the world. Due in part to this transience, interrupted schooling has become an educational challenge in terms of consistent schooling and job stability. Language education and literacy development are no exception to this issue. Though emergent literacy approaches have been advocated for younger learners, few studies look at the issues of interrupting or delaying the acquisition of literacy in a second or third language and how to address these learners’ educational needs. This study explored how the English literacy skills of six participants from two immigrant families developed over one year and what the external issues and strategies influencing these participants’ literacy growth were. Data were collected from participants, teachers, administrators, and family members, creating a collaborative ethnography of the culture of the literacy acquisition environment for these participants. The family unit was chosen as the unit of investigation in this study in part because during such global upheaval and relocation, it is the family unit that is often the most constant and stable. Furthermore, the family unit is unique in that it may influence L1 or home literacy and in turn L2 literacy development. This study investigated this native literacy issue in the context of the family unit and reports on how this was addressed when the L1 skills were underdeveloped. Familial variables such as SES and status in community, which also affect the importance of literacy acquisition, were also explored. Additionally, the range of ages a family provides allowed investigation into the influence of age on second language literacy development. The research methodology in this study was qualitative in focus. Data triangulation was established through a series of observations (at school and in the homes), interviews, literacy measures, text analysis, and teacher questionnaires. Family visits were made to ascertain home-school connections in terms of literacy support and individual family member literacy responsibilities. The findings indicated that while development in L2 literacy acquisition may be slow, over time changes in writing speed, fluency, syntactic complexity, and accuracy as well as reading accuracy and comprehension were observed. Issues found affecting L2 literacy development included size of the L1 community, mobility, parental involvement, conducive home study environment, L2 literacy demands in school assignments, previous schooling, text and technology access, and types of home literacy functions. Strategies facilitative of L2 literacy acquisition included copying text, accessing input, accessing background knowledge, practice reading, vocabulary development, and careful text selection. Recommended pedagogical practices include suggestions to investigate each learner’s individual educational background and needs, provide academic readiness skills for students affected by interrupted schooling, immerse students in content based topics, demand authentic writing and reading tasks of learners, assess learners frequently in multiple manners, advocate for learners at program and district levels, establish and maintain positive communication exchanges with parents, and educate teachers about the unique issues of SLA.
Keiko Samimy (Advisor)
413 p.
Bilingual Education; ESL; Second Language Acquisition; Literacy; Writing; Reading; Teacher Training; Multilingual Writers

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Panferov, S. K. (2002). Exploring the Literacy Development of Russian and Somali ESL Learners: a Collaborative Ethnography [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1028234878

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Panferov, Suzanne. Exploring the Literacy Development of Russian and Somali ESL Learners: a Collaborative Ethnography. 2002. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1028234878.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Panferov, Suzanne. "Exploring the Literacy Development of Russian and Somali ESL Learners: a Collaborative Ethnography." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1028234878

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1028234878
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© 2002, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.