Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume.7 Number.3September , 2016 Pp.302-316
DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no3.22
Comparing Jordanian Families First and Second Language Home Literacy Practices and
Functions in Malaysia
Mustafa T.R. Aloqaili
School of Language studies and Linguistics
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Radha M.K. Nambiar
School of Language studies and Linguistics
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Abstract:
This study aims to explore first and second language home literacy practices and their functions of four Jordanian families live in Malaysia, to identify who plays the significant role among these families and to identify the factors that help or hinder home literacy practices in Malaysian culture. This study tries answering the following questions: What are the most frequent types of the families’ members’ home literacy practices and functions associated with their first language and second language? Who plays the most significant role concerning home literacy practices among these families’ members? And what are the factors that help or hinder such home literacy practices to survive in Malaysian culture? This study fills the gap in literature related to Arab home literacy practices in new social and cultural contexts in order to understand how these families balance their first and second language home literacy practices to cope in the host country. Using an ethnographic approach, data were collected with interviews, observations and photographic evidence over a fourteen-week period. The findings indicated that Arabic language served social, religious and mostly educational literacy practices while English language served academic literacy practices. Both languages served numerical, financial and technological home literacy practices. Mothers and siblings played the most significant role in home literacy practices. It is evident that living in areas crowded with Arab families helps these families to keep using Arabic language more than English language in their daily living. The study recommends conducting more studies on areas less crowded with Arabs.
Keywords: Comparative literacies, home literacy functions, home literacy practices, Literacy, multi literacies
Cite as: Aloqaili, M. T.R, &. Nambiar, R. M.K. (2016) Comparing Jordanian Families First and Second Language Home Literacy Practices and Functions in Malaysia. Arab World English Journal, 7 (3).
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol7no3.22