Sharing the Bilingual Journey: Situational Autobiography in a Family Literacy Context

Abstract

Situational autobiography is a methodology that encourages the exploration of the situational factors affecting bilingual learners. Learners write narratives that scrutinize the factors affecting their struggles of adjustment and language acquisition. In this study, an adult learner in a family literacy classroom completed three situational autobiography chapters on language development, friends and community, and school experiences. The learner also implemented lessons using the same themes with her two children at home. The written products of the adult learner and her two children, written commentaries by the teacher-researcher (T-R), and interviews with the adult learner were analyzed to determine (a) what the T-R learned about the adult learner; (b) what the adult learner learned about her children; and (c) what effect both projects had on the adult learner. Findings support earlier claims that knowledge of learners' backgrounds and an understanding of the social context in which languages are developed are essential to providing quality education. Also revealed is the healing effect that situational autobiography may have on people struggling with adjustment to a new culture. Finally, situational autobiography as a shared literacy activity can promote discussion that enables parents to support more fully their children's development as bilinguals and to understand their own progress in acquiring a new language and culture.