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The Ecology of Literacy and Language: Discourses, Identities and Practices in Homes, Schools and Communities

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Introduction

An ecological model of language and literacy is a useful metaphor that recognises multiple languages and literacies, taking on the different oral and written languages communities draw on in their daily lives, but also accounting for institutional policies and practices that impinge on those everyday practices. Scholars in the field of language and literacy studies have drawn upon cultural studies, psychology, sociology, anthropology and theories of the mind and culture to understand literacy and language within a wider structure. One of the challenges for researchers who draw on the ecology metaphor is that this approach to language learning both asks for attention to identity and learning, but also requires an understanding of the relationship between language, literacy and social environments. Therefore, researchers of literacy and language have to account for institutional policy thinking on language and literacy, while at the same time studying face‐to‐face...

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Pahl, K. (2008). The Ecology of Literacy and Language: Discourses, Identities and Practices in Homes, Schools and Communities. In: Hornberger, N.H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_239

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_239

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-32875-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-30424-3

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