“El Lenguaje Se Queda En La Casa”: Family Literacy and HL Preservation in a Spanish and Kaqchikel Immigrant Household

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Bilingualism desde el corazón to the enactment of languaging

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how an immigrant family from Guatemala engages in family literacy practices to preserve their HLs, Spanish and Kaqchikel, within a predominantly English-speaking society. Drawing upon sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978), ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), and sustainable translanguaging (Cenoz & Gorter, 2017), the study investigates the relationship between literacy practices and broader structural forces that shape language preservation across generations. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered from interviews, observations, and artifacts, and analyzed through multi-cycle coding. Findings reveal a dynamic interplay between home-based traditions, sociopolitical constraints, and identity construction. This study contributes to the literature on heritage language preservation by illuminating the agency of Indigenous families in resisting linguistic erasure and affirming multilingual identities.

Author

• Esmeralda Cartagena Collazo, Texas Woman's University