Tesis profesional presentada por Teresa Monica Sullivan

Maestría en Lingüística Aplicada. Departamento de Lenguas. Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Artes y Humanidades, Universidad de las Américas Puebla.

Jurado Calificador

Presidente: Dra. Luz Alba Murillo Benjumea
Secretario y Director: Dr. Patrick Henry Smith Ashmore
Vocal: Dr. Robert Thomas Jiménez

Cholula, Puebla, México a 16 de mayo de 2006.

Abstract

This thesis examines literacy practices embedded in the home domain of three transnational families from a new sending region in Mexico with the aim of understanding the relationship between literacy and transnational migration. Data was collected in the homes through interviews, observations and analysis of texts, events and literacy practices involving children and adults.

Few direct effects of transnationalism were found, with letter-writing serving a restricted sentimental purpose. Indirect effects of transnationalism were economically connected, with many literacy practices embedded in the running of a family business, financed with remittances. Results also show that families use remittances for securing children’s full participation in school and school-supportive activities. The co-construction and movement of texts were found to be affected by the Mesoamerican family structure described by Robichaux (2002). Results suggest incipient transnational families negotiate social and family roles and relationships which shape new literacy practices.

Implications for school practices include incorporating Vygotskyan-based literacy activities into curriculum and relating school subject matter to students’ funds of knowledge (González and Moll, 2002), with several examples, based on materials and instruments developed in situ. Implications for school policies and future research are also discussed.

Table of content

Chapter 1. Introduction and Literature Review

  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Aim and justification for the study
  • 1.3 Overview
  • 1.4 Literacy Literature Review
  • 1.5 Literature Review of Mexican Migration
  • 1.6 A Deficit vs. Resource Perspective: The Literacy - Migration Links and Gaps
  • 1.7 This Study’s Assumptions and Research Questions

Chapter 2. Methodology

  • 2.1 Cosolem
  • 2.2 Quantitative Data: Linguistic Census of School Population
  • 2.3 Gaining Access to Families through the School
  • 2.4 Data Collection in the Households
  • 2.5 Data Analysis
  • 2.6 Reciprocity

Chapter 3. The Setting and Participants

  • 3.1 Overview
  • 3.2 The Researcher
  • 3.3 The Research Community
  • 3.4 The Case Study Participants and Their Households

Chapter 4. Results

  • 4.1 Overview
  • 4.2 Results by Domain

Chapter 5. Discussion

  • 5.1 Overview
  • 5.2 Discussion of the Findings
  • 5.3 Limitations of the Study
  • 5.4 Discussion Concerning Instruments Created In Situ
  • 5.5 Implications for School Practices and Policies
  • 5.6 Implications for Research
  • 5.7 Concluding Remarks

References

Appendix A. 

Appendix B. 

Appendix C. 

Appendix D. 

Appendix E. 

Appendix F. 

Appendix G. 

Appendix H. 

Sullivan, T. M. 2006. Transnational Family Literacy Practices: Three Case Studies. Tesis Maestría. Lingüística Aplicada. Departamento de Lenguas, Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Artes y Humanidades, Universidad de las Américas Puebla. Mayo. Derechos Reservados © 2006.