Images of Faith: English Learners and Spiritual Capital

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Spirituality in Educational Settings: The Importance of Relational and Nurturing Connections

Abstract

The goal of this qualitative case study was to counter deficit-informed research on what language minority students lack by highlighting the abundant, yet unrecognized resources English learners bring to school. Driven by an equity agenda that capitalizes on students’ knowledge and experiences as resources for schooling (Esteban-Guitart & Moll, 2014), my study investigated the ways in which ten Latinx students used cultural and sociohistorical resources as funds of identity to express self-definition and their sense of place in the world. An unexpected finding indicated that spiritual resources or “Spiritual Capital,” contributed significantly to students’ identities, sense of well-being, and motivation. This study implies the need for further research investigating spiritual resources that support students’ academic engagement and social-emotional well-being.

Author

• Jenna Canillas, Biola University