35.065 - Understanding the Lived Experiences of Young Children With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

In order to provide effective educational experience for all children, particularly those who are culturally and linguistically different from the mainstream, we need to understand their lived experiences. This symposium will present examples of these lived experiences and how they affect education: (1) an African-American preschooler engaging in race-related discourse; (2) an ELL learning words from kindergarten peers; (3) an ELL navigating ideas of “politeness” across multiple contexts; (4) children growing up in cross-national families and the stresses and opportunities facing their parents; and (5) children from refugee families experiencing family storytelling. The goal of this symposium is to expand and deepen our understandings of diverse children’s lived experiences and their connection to enhancing these children’s educational experiences.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Multicultural/Multiethnic Education: Theory, Research, and Practice

Chair

• X. Christine Wang, University at Buffalo - SUNY

Papers

• "My Mommy Said It Always Gonna Be Black": A Case Study of Racial Discourse in a Preschool Classroom - Camilo Maldonado, SUNY - Buffalo State

• Incidental Vocabulary Gains in Free-Play Interactions: A Case Study of an Emergent Bilingual Child in Preschool - Ersoy Erdemir, Bogazici University

• A Bilingual Child's Politeness Development in Multiple Contexts - Hyonsuk Cho, State University of New York, Buffalo

• Child Rearing in Cross-National Families: Challenges and Opportunities - Yajuan Xiang, University of Southern Indiana

• Exploring Family Storytelling With Young Children in Refugee Communities - X. Christine Wang, University at Buffalo - SUNY; Ekaterina Strekalova-Hughes, University of Missouri - Kansas City

Discussant

• Tanya M. Christ, Oakland University