Latinx Immigrant Parents’ Cultural Communicative Resources: Bridging the Worlds of Home, Community, and School Policy

ABSTRACT

This study examined how heritage language and cultural funds of knowledge of Spanish-dominant Latinx immigrant families served as powerful resources for their concientización—critical awareness of important problems and social conditions—and bridged their cultural worlds of home, community, and school policy. The study drew on three complementary theories: Cultural Historical Activity Theory or Funds of Knowledge, Critical Pedagogy, and Bridging Multiple Worlds; all challenge common deficit models that these parents lack sufficient knowledge and concern for their children’s formal education. Qualitative ethnographic study of Latinx immigrant parents in a parent engagement program revealed how dialogic interaction or plática, using colloquial funds of knowledge through dichos (words with extended metaphorical cultural significance) and refranes (proverbs conveying cultural wisdom about how to live and act), and cultural brokering from parent-coordinators helped parents author persuasive petition letters to school officials. The discussion addresses implications for research and practice supporting meaningful parent engagement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Richard P. Durán

Richard P. Durán is a professor and an associate dean at the University of California, Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education. His research and publications have focused on the literacy development of Latinx children and families and sociocultural interventions promoting schooling success and civic engagement from a cultural psychology and learning sciences perspective.

Zuleyma Carruba-Rogel

Zuleyma Carruba-Rogel, an expert on parent, school, and community partnerships, serves as the District Family/Community Engagement and Talent Acquisition Coordinator for the Amarillo Independent School District (AISD). She established AISD’s Family and Community Engagement Department that provides families with a wide range of program support services. She is also a pioneer for AISD’s Cultivating Our Rising Educators scholars program designed to increase the representation of minority K-12 educators.

Bertin Solis

Bertin Solis is a doctoral student in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California Santa Barbara. His research is on family engagement, equity in education, and higher education access and completion for historically underrepresented students. His doctoral research investigates the academic and career identity pathways of Latinx community college students.