Date of Award
6-2-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Kent Layton
Abstract
This qualitative ethnographic study was conducted to explore the literacy practices of children who are homeless. Participants included six emergent readers from four families living in extended-stay motels. The participants were observed during interactive writing and shared reading lessons during a summer program hosted at a cooperating nonprofit agency. Three research questions were used to explain the phenomenon: 1) What literacy activities are a part of families who are homeless? 2) How does a child who is homeless respond to the structure and availability of a summer literacy program as a writer? 3) How will a homeless child’s attitudes towards reading change over time when engaged in shared reading activities with a teacher? Qualitative data analysis revealed three overarching themes. First, families who are experiencing homelessness have a multitude of challenges. Second, children who are homeless suffer ongoing trauma and may display their responses to those negative experiences in unexpected ways. Finally, children who are homeless have stories to share and a desire to read and write, but may have barriers preventing their success with these literacy tasks. Keywords: emergent readers, children who are homeless, extended-stay motels, poverty
Recommended Citation
Thomason, Suzanne Curry, "A Quest to Understand the Literacy Practices of Homeless Children Who Are Living in Extended-Stay Motels" (2020). Theses and Dissertations. 942.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/942
