Lesley University DigitalCommons@Lesley Educational Studies Dissertations Graduate School of Education (GSOE) Summer 8-25-2019 An Examination of Francophone African-born Adult Immigrant Family Members’ Narratives Regarding Their Children’s Early Language and Literacy Development Kimberly Joyce-Bernard Lesley University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/education_dissertations Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, and the Early Childhood Education Commons Recommended Citation Joyce-Bernard, Kimberly, "An Examination of Francophone African-born Adult Immigrant Family Members’ Narratives Regarding Their Children’s Early Language and Literacy Development" (2019). Educational Studies Dissertations. 149. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/education_dissertations/149 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School of Education (GSOE) at DigitalCommons@Lesley. It has been accepted for inclusion in Educational Studies Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Lesley. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy i An Examination of Francophone African-born Adult Immigrant Family Members’ Narratives Regarding Their Children’s Early Language and Literacy Development A Dissertation Presented by Kimberly M. Joyce-Bernard Submitted to the Graduate School of Education Lesley University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY June 2019 Ph.D. Educational Studies Educational Leadership Specialization Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy ii An Examination of Francophone African-born Adult Immigrant Family Members’ Narratives Regarding Their Children’s Early Language and Literacy Development Kimberly M. Joyce-Bernard Graduate School of Education Lesley University Ph.D. Educational Studies Educational Leadership Specialization Approvals In the judgement of the following signatories, this Dissertation meets the academic standards that have been established for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Dr. Paul Naso __________________________________________ Doctoral Committee Chair Dr. Erika Thulin Dawes __________________________________________ Doctoral Committee Member Dr. Mary Sterling __________________________________________ Doctoral Committee Member Dr. Stephen Gould __________________________________________ Director, Ph.D. Educational Leadership Dr. Brenda Matthis __________________________________________ Director, Ph.D. Educational Studies Dr. Amy Rutstein-Riley __________________________________________ Interim Dean, Graduate School of Education Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy iii Abstract This narrative study explored the perspectives of six Francophone African-born family members who have pre-school aged children attending early childhood care and education settings in the Little Senegal section of Harlem in New York City. It examined the personal experiences they reported regarding their own early language and literacy development, their descriptions of home factors that mediated their children’s language and literacy acquisition, and their reports of the ways in which they experienced the efforts of educators within early childhood care and education settings. A qualitative narrative method framed the study. Purposeful sampling was utilized to identify research participants, and semi-structured interviews were employed. Presentations of individual narratives, as well as an inclusive thematic analysis, were the basis of the findings. The study found that oral traditions and multilingualism were prevalent in the lives of the Francophone African-born parents as children and continued to be valued in their lives as adults. The study also discovered the complex manner in which participants foster an environment in their homes for sustaining their heritage languages while simultaneously supporting English language development, but their narratives indicate a tension resulting from striving to satisfy both aims. Finally, this study found that the interchanges of participants with early childhood care and education setting educators were largely one-way and prescriptive and ignored the multicultural heritage and bi/multilingualism of families. The implications of this study suggest how a recognition of the complex nature of the identities, multinational migration patterns, and multilingual backgrounds of African-born immigrants potentially inform pedagogy, curricular decisions, policy, and scholarship. Keywords: African-born immigrants, early childhood, family and intergenerational literacy programs, literacy and language acquisition Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my M&M. My children Malachi and Makenzie. Your question from the start of this dissertation journey was at ages 7 and 4: “Mommy, you done writing that paper?” as you climbed on my lap to see. I am finally done! You inspired me to finish. My dream is that someday you will be brave about discovering your passion, will allow it to consume you, and will embrace the journey that it takes you on. I love you. Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." – Isaac Newton I could not have found the ability to persevere through this journey without my belief in the most High God. I would like to acknowledge my backbone, my husband, Carl Ernest Westmore Bernard. You are the one who reminded me that this degree was a dream of mine that I should not give up on, even when I doubted myself. Your quiet strength, assurance, and flexibility with embracing the changes that this degree created for our family were insurmountable. I don’t know how you did it, it but I am eternally grateful. To my mom and dad, Pansy Joyce-Harvey and Niel Harvey, who never hesitated to be a consistent presence in M&M’s life with your door always open and a hot meal, hug, and words of advice ready…you are their mom and dad. Thank you for believing in me. To my brother, Daniel Joyce, who never allowed me to remain feeling down during the most challenging points of this journey, but who reminded me to remain steadfast. To my Auntie Lorna Thomas, Auntie Mavis Elias, Uncle Lionel (Chum) Baynes, Auntie Yvette Bristol, and, forever in my heart, Auntie Jennifer Sancho, who couldn’t wait for me to obtain our degree, which has been a part of our dream even before I was born. Dis dah fi we! To my dear friend, Rosa Fernandes, who created a space where I could express myself freely as I sorted through being a doctoral mom. I am grateful for all of our chats, especially those walks around Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. To Debora Sutherland, who opened her home time and again in Jamaica Plain, which made it possible for me to fully engage in my coursework, I cannot thank you enough. To Rashidat Agbaje, we have journeyed a long way since our days at Walt Whitman Middle School in Brooklyn, New York. Thank you for being a consistent friend through all of our life changes. There are so many friends, family members, and colleagues who accommodated and supported my need and desire to earn my Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy vi doctoral degree—thank you for inspiring me and supporting me. My village was tremendous in pushing me to not give up on myself and to reach my goals. I would like to thank the faculty and staff in the Ph.D. program in Educational Leadership at Lesley University for their consistent support. Dr. Paul Naso, my senior advisor, illuminated the way as I navigated this journey and persisted in pushing me forward and challenging me to think and question deeply. I could not have found my way without you. Dr. Erika Thulin-Dawes, you prompted me to continue to peel back the layers on my topic. Thank you for serving on my committee. Dr. Mary Sterling, I appreciate your guidance on how to develop a strong academic voice. The writing strategies that you taught me are invaluable. I am so grateful. Dr. Stephen Gould and Dr. John Ciesluk, I want to thank you for being an integral part of my learning through the courses that I took with you and through the development of a Ph.D. program with Dr. Paul Naso that has influenced who I am. Thank you. I would like to thank my Ph.D. cohort at Lesley University. Our shared accomplishments, challenges, and dreams have kept me inspired and focused on completing this task to join you as a fellow academic colleague. I am honored to join my fellow colleagues and doctoral family, Dr. Darlene McBrine Foley, Dr. Jessica Waska Rintoul, Dr. Julia Hrdina, Dr. Lynne Stasiak, Dr. Pinto Paul, and Dr. Tim Frazier as Dr. Kimberly Joyce-Bernard. Thank you to Sonia Dinnall for our talks and for your understanding as we journeyed together. I look forward to you joining me at graduation in May 2020. I cannot wait to hear about your progress, Megan Kawatachi and Lisa Harris Bethea. I want to thank Melinda Ramos, my French interpreter. A simple thank you does not express how truly appreciative I am of your willingness to bridge the language conversations that Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy vii I had with families. Finally, thank you to each family member who was a part of my study and took the time to share a precious part of themselves—their story. Francophone African Immigrants and Early Literacy viii TABLE