Communities with Underachieving Schools

Literacy Practices of Communities/Families whose Children Attend Underachieving Schools in Vancouver 

Principal Investigator: Maryam Moayeri, University of British Columbia This case study focuses on the community of an elementary school in East Vancouver, BC, Canada. This is a culturally diverse and exciting area with shops, restaurants, and parks within only a few feet of the school. The school shares grounds with the secondary school, the community centre, library, pool, ice rink, fitness centre, and seniors centre. This elementary school ranks in the lowest quartile of BC schools according to the Fraser Institute. The purpose of this case study is to observe how people use literacy in their daily lives. I have collected data on the variety of texts in the community including what people are writing and reading. I have spent a month observing the public spaces in the community, noting all the different instances of text. I have also taken photos and collected artifacts like newspapers and flyers. Furthermore, I will be interviewing parents of children who attend this school and asking them about their literacy practices. The information that I collect regarding the communities' literacy practices will then be used to design early literacy curriculum that incorporates children's literacy knowledge gained through their interaction with the community space. WORKING PAPERS:

• Literacy Practice in a Canadian Urban Neighborhood: Two First Nation Mothers. Moayeri, M. Working Paper #25 25LiteracyCanadianNeighborhood