ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is a pleasure to thank the many people who contributed to the realization of this thesis:

First, I cannot overstate my gratitude to my study participants. The families who welcomed me into their homes and their lives were wonderful. My heartfelt thanks goes to the immensely talented educators who openly invited me into their school and classrooms. The understanding gained through these encounters and my additional participation as a volunteer at the school was vital to my study and enriched my thesis.

Next, I would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of my committee members in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa who generously shared their time and expertise. I thank Professor Maurice Taylor for his enormous amount of faith in me, his kindness for assuming the role of my thesis supervisor in the final stages, his timely feedback, and for all of the challenges he has helped me to meet. I am also sincerely grateful to Professor Diana Masny, who provided me with advice, direction and helpful leadership in the early stages as my initial thesis supervisor, Professor Cheryll Duquette for her congenial nature, decisive and energetic support of my work, and many illuminating discussions, Professor Cynthia Morawski for her commitment, professionalism and capacity to stimulate my interest not only in research on literacy but the practical application, and Professor Judith Robertson for her precise sense of language, exuberant and enthusiastic guidance, and many constructive comments on my work. I also thank Professor Richard Darville of Carleton University for serving as my external examiner and for his comprehensive feedback on my thesis and his thought–provoking questions at my oral defense.