Close to Home

When teachers are familiar with what adults and children bring with them into the classroom, they are far better prepared to develop appropriate curricula and pedagogical techniques. Close to Home is a unique portrayal and analysis of the language, literacy, and cultural resources of a social network of Mexicano adults living in a rural community in Mexico and Chicago’s inner city. By exploring the ways in which this group’s experiences as immigrants have affected their communicative practices, the author provides a basis for understanding how researchers, policy makers, and educators can provide these adults and their children with a relevant education that effectively embraces their schooling and lived experience. After establishing a historical and sociocultural context for the author’s analysis, this rich ethnographic study presents a variety of oral and written sample texts, including tape recordings of everyday oral language use, personal letters, and autobiographical writing.