Discussion

A review of the data confirms that the emotional and motivational climate in the home is affected by various stressors. A summary of these stressors and the perceived barriers and problems which affect literacy development is contained in Table 10 on the following two pages. Poverty status is a significant factor, although alone it does not necessarily signify a risk factor for literacy under-achievement. There is a need to look closely at the social context to understand how literacy is embedded in their lives and how children are enculturated into literacy practices. The families suffer from many health conditions, some as a result of traumatic events in their past. The emotional problems of the parents casts a dark shadow over the children and affects their socialization. The parents may also lack effective role models from their childhood to help them in their child rearing.

What the families do with literacy at home and in their daily lives is important to note. Financial restrictions and the lack of accessible transportation limits their ability to participate in activities outside of their immediate neighborhood and thus they may suffer from social exclusion. Some of the participants turn to religion for guidance or seek a kind of spirituality to help them cope with the stress in their lives.

Pedagogical Influences on Literacy Development

The pedagogical influences on the child's literacy learning include the social organization of the school, as well as the effects of the culture of power. In this section, I highlight the importance of recognizing schooling, not just as a humanitarian act, but of a political act with notions of power and control. Table 11 summarizes the key points in this discussion.