Outside school English literacy of school-aged new immigrant children from China

This study explored non-school English literacy experiences of children from low English Chinese immigrant families who have been in Canada for less than three years. Observing from the perspective of sociocultural learning theory, I examined what the two focal children’s outside-school literacy lives were like and how parents supported the children’s literacy development. Data was analysed by drawing on the theories on emergent literacy, “family as educators”, and “funds of knowledge”, and by seeing how their performances were shaped by traditional Chinese educational principles and values. Ethnographic investigation methods were employed in this case study. Field notes, artifacts from participant observation, and interview information were the major data sources. The findings revealed a lack of communication between Canadian schools and Chinese immigrant families, which resulted in the families’ efforts either being not known to or not recognized by mainstream institutions. The inquiry should have implications for future research.