Publisher's Synopsis
Many schools function as if the only language of literacy is the language of the majority group. For parents who are neither literate in English, nor proficient in spoken English, schools insistence on English as the language of literacy brings a process of disempowerment. Those who are unable to play by the cultural and linguistic rules of the dominant majority are denied power in their children's education. This book shows how full literacy can be achieved for minority language communities. It reports a study of the home literacy practices of Bangladeshi families in Birmingham, UK, using the voices of Bangladeshi women as they talk about their young children becoming literate. This book proposes practical approaches to incorporating minority languages and literacies in the school curriculum and outlines principles for the development of school policy and practice which contribute to empowerment and social justice for minority communities.
