Close to Home: Oral and Literate Practices in a Transnational Mexicano Community (Language and Literacy Series (Teachers College Pr))

Provides an insight into the oral and written discourse of an extended network of Mexicanos living in Chicago. This work explores the ways in which the group's experiences as immigrants have affected their linguistic practices. When teachers are familiar with what adults and children bring with them into the classroom, they are far better prepared to develop appropriate curricula and pedagogical techniques. Close to Home is a unique portrayal and analysis of the language, literacy, and cultural resources of a social network of Mexicano adults living in a rural community in Mexico and Chicagos inner city. By exploring the ways in which this groups experiences as immigrants have affected their communicative practices, the author provides a basis for understanding how researchers, policy makers, and educators can provide these adults and their children with a relevant education that effectively embraces their schooling and lived experience. After establishing a historical and sociocultural context for the authors analysis, this rich ethnographic study presents a variety of oral and written sample texts, including tape recordings of everyday oral language use, personal letters, and autobiographical writing. Close to Home offers potentially important links to our understanding of the discourse practices of the children from these transnational communities who make up a large proportion of the student enrollment in our schools. A must-read for educators and researchers working with Mexican-origin and other Latino communities. Maria de la Luz Reyes , University of Colorado-Boulder Innovative and insightful. Close to Home makes an important contribution to the interdisciplinary study of oral and written discourse. Rene Galindo , University of Colorado at Denver I strongly recommend this work.significant and timely for the field of language, literacy, and rhetorical studies. Jabari Mahiri , University of California at Berkeley Portrays The Language, Literacy, And Cultural Resources Of A Social Network Of Mexicano Adults Living In A Rural Community In Mexico And Chicago's Inner City. Provides A Basis For Understanding How Researchers, Policy Makers, And Educators Can Provide These Adults And Their Children With A Relevant Education That Effectively Embraces Their Schooling And Lived Experience. Includes A Variety Of Oral And Written Sample Texts, Including Tape Recordings Of Everyday Oral Language Use, Personal Letters, And Autobigraphical Writing. 1. Introduction -- 2. Mexicano Communities And Families In Transition -- 3. Metaphorical Representations Of Orality And Literacy -- 4. Oral Language Use In Everyday Life -- 5. Personal Letter-writing In A Mexicano Context -- 6. The Autobiographical Writing Of Las Tres Marias -- 7. Conclusion. Juan C. Guerra. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 173-182) And Index.