In and Out of the Unknown: Lessons from Immigrant Families Promoting Multiliteracies During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

Abstract

AbstractHow has the COVID‐19 pandemic changed the home literacy environment, parental engagement, and home‐school communications for children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds? Data on the experiences of 231 Chinese‐Canadian immigrant families with K‐2 children revealed that emergency remote learning affected the home literacy environment in complex ways. While some experienced a decrease in mainstream language exposure, others also witnessed a decline in home language use and literacy engagement due to the closure of heritage language schools and absence of grandparents. Parents also differed in their ability, resources, and confidence level in supporting multiliteracies development at home during the pandemic. Moreover, there existed persistent barriers to effective home‐school communications despite the affordances of remote learning. The findings have important implications for both immigrant families and mainstream teachers in working collaboratively to support the children's needs in multiliteracies development.