Developing Latino Children's Narratives Through Family Engagement

• In Event: 72.049 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 72.049-10 - Strategies to Support Literacy Learning

Abstract

This paper shares research related to bilingual four-year olds’ emergent writing development as documented in a family/school writing initiative focused on children’s personal narratives. Data collected includes field notes, interviews, observations of children at their writing center, and artifacts from school and home contexts. Preliminary analyses reveal young children’s strong dispositions for writing in sophisticated ways when children’s funds of knowledge are included in their writing process. Findings include young children’s ability to write in sophisticated ways; natural connections among writing, school, and home; and children’s desire to share their writing with an audience. This study reveals the power of children’s narratives to create powerful confidence in writing for even the most reluctant writers.

Authors

• Iliana Alanis, The University of Texas - San Antonio

• Raquel Cataldo, The University of Texas - San Antonio