Looking for Cultural Congruence in the Education of Gitano Children

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of narrative participation frameworks in bicultural situations between Gitano (Spanish Gypsy) children and non-Gypsy Spanish (payo) researchers in institutional and informal settings. Data were obtained in two contexts, a public school in a large urban city and a summer school in a mid-sized city. Narratives produced under these conditions are characterised by a high degree of co-participation between children that seems to be mediated by two elements: the multiple positions that children hold in relation to the narrative and narrated events, and peer relations outside the institutional contexts of the study. Our theoretical discussion builds on aspects of the 'home-school continuity-discontinuity framework' and develops two arguments. First, we argue that the linguistic practices of Gitano children can be problematic for payo teachers, as these practices build on social structures that teachers do not take into consideration. Second, we suggest what arrangements could be made to develop culturally responsive teaching strategies with Gypsy children.