ABSTRACT

In this qualitative study, we examine the experiences of South African multilingual learners and one local teacher after participating in a community-based, digital storytelling project on career dreams. A secondary purpose was to uncover the skills, knowledge, and abilities learners used as they created digital stories that reflected their future goals and career dreams. This study adds to the field of language and cultural research by highlighting multilingual learners’ reliance on various forms of community cultural wealth CCW. Qualitative data sources included: observational field notes, transcribed participant interviews, transcribed video recordings, and artefacts. Findings illustrate how the learners relied on linguistic, social and aspirational capital to imagine their future identities. They articulated metalinguistic awareness in English and isiXhosa and felt cared for, trusted, and supported. The camp provided overt instruction, scaffolding and a space for learners reimagine their selves. This study illustrates how educators can challenge deficit perspectives and find ways to build on what learners bring to every language and learning experience. CCW theories help better contextualise the cultural capital learners have and how they may use and develop that wealth in their rural school experiences.

摘要

在这项定性研究中，我们研究了南非多语言学习者和一位当地老师在参加基于社区的关于职业梦想的数字故事计划后的经历。第二个目的是发现学习者创建反映他们未来目标和职业梦想的数字故事时所使用的技能，知识和能力。通过强调多语言学习者对各种形式的社区文化财富CCW的依赖，本研究增加了语言和文化研究领域。定性数据来源包括：实地观察记录，转录的参与者访谈，转录的视频记录和人工制品。研究结果表明，学习者如何依靠语言，社会和理想资本来想象自己的未来身份。他们表达了英语和isiXhosa的元语言意识，并感到关心，信任和支持。营地提供了明显的指导，脚手架和学习者重新想象自我的空间。这项研究说明了教育者如何挑战不足的观点，并找到方法以学习者带给每种语言和学习经验为基础。CCW理论有助于更好地了解文化资本学习者所拥有的环境，以及他们如何在农村学校学习中利用和发展财富。