Mothers' Picture Book Choices for Their Children's Language and Literacy Development: Case Studies of Middle-Class Korean Mothers in the U.S.

• In Event: 16.056 - Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: 16.056-11 - Text(s) Matter(s): How Text Choices Can Broaden or Constrain Student Learning

Abstract

Drawing upon Bourdieu’s (1986) habitus and social and cultural capital, this case study explored picture book choices of Korean immigrant mothers for their children’s success in school and society. The data were collected from in-depth interviews with seven Korean middle-class immigrant mothers, observations on their picture book selections, and documents about their selections and picture book information over a six-month period. The data presented that their picture book selections were related to diverse habitus and use of social and cultural capital to attain their educational goals related to identity and language. The findings are discussed in terms of habitus, usage of capital, and the necessity for understanding literacy practices at home.

Author

• Jaehee Kwon, Lander University