Education, Language, and Identity: A Narrative Inquiry on Perspectives in Rural South Africa

摘要

This qualitative study takes a narrative approach to inquiring into the lived experiences of linguistically diverse students. As students are often placed into developmental education courses due to factors that point back to their linguistic diversity, scholarly literature demonstrates a need for inquiry that informs both research and practice. My research is timely and relevant to the field as it brings to bear both theoretical and pedagogical information for the field of developmental education and college literacy. This study sits at an intersection of many theories and pedagogies. The narratives presented in this dissertation illuminate the socially constructed experiences of the participants as linguistically diverse students. Language, in tandem with social context, place, and systems of belief must be considered when questioning the nature of students' experiences.