Toward Justice: Language Barriers and Language Resources in Applications for U.S. Food Assistance Programs

• In Event: 46.086 - Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 46.086-21 - Facing Barriers to Adult Learning

Abstract

In keeping with the 2015 theme on the intersection of educational research and social justice, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore participants’ experiences within and perceptions of materials for accessing government food assistance processes. Although access to healthy food equates to a better quality of life for families, significant numbers of the eligible population do not participate in government programs for food assistance. This language/literacy research focuses on how two divergent populations of adult learners (students in a PhD program in education and adult literacy students) navigate the language and institutional barriers in government application processes using collaborative language resources.

Author

• Leah Katherine Saal, Loyola University Maryland