Transnational literacy practices of two Burmese families: an ethnographic study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Abundant research has examined the literacy practices of immigrant students, but little is known about the transnational literacies of Burmese refugee children and parents. Drawing upon literacy as a social practice and transnationalism, this study investigated the transnational literacies of two Burmese refugee mothers and their children. The data sources included field notes, interviews, artifacts, and conversations with the participants. The findings present that participants engaged in transnational literacies for four major purposes: to maintain relationships across borders, to sustain religious beliefs, to mobilize resources in multiple contexts, and to learn about the target language. The findings suggest that educators should value the transnational literacies of refugee families in order to foster learning in diverse classrooms.