A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital

In certain English learning contexts where textbook-driven and standardized curriculum is a predominant approach, content materials and genres situated in native-English-speaking cultures are nevertheless foreign and daunting to English language learners (ELLs). However, the link between ELLs’ learn...

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Main Author: Chen, Julian
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2020
Online Access:http://www.mextesol.net/journal/index.php?page=journal&id_article=22049
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/81589
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author Chen, Julian
author_facet Chen, Julian
author_sort Chen, Julian
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In certain English learning contexts where textbook-driven and standardized curriculum is a predominant approach, content materials and genres situated in native-English-speaking cultures are nevertheless foreign and daunting to English language learners (ELLs). However, the link between ELLs’ learning outcomes and English instruction that capitalizes on their cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1986) is disconnected. To address this issue evident in the aforementioned phenomenon, this synthesis paper presents a critical review of how ELLs’ cultural capital interplays between the dominant (mainstream schooling) and the dominated (cultural capital inherited by ELLs) across diverse sociocultural contexts and discourses in the classroom and beyond. Using Bourdieu’s (1986) cultural capital as a critical lens, ten salient studies surrounding this issue are critically examined across various learning settings: Pop culture, mainstream schooling and instruction, post-secondary education, bilingual program, out-of-school literacy practices and online community—highlighted by the findings and pedagogical implications for English teaching and learning. A call for an inclusive and empathetic approach that can empower ELLs and legitimize their cultural capital is needed.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-815892020-11-11T07:17:51Z A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital Chen, Julian In certain English learning contexts where textbook-driven and standardized curriculum is a predominant approach, content materials and genres situated in native-English-speaking cultures are nevertheless foreign and daunting to English language learners (ELLs). However, the link between ELLs’ learning outcomes and English instruction that capitalizes on their cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1986) is disconnected. To address this issue evident in the aforementioned phenomenon, this synthesis paper presents a critical review of how ELLs’ cultural capital interplays between the dominant (mainstream schooling) and the dominated (cultural capital inherited by ELLs) across diverse sociocultural contexts and discourses in the classroom and beyond. Using Bourdieu’s (1986) cultural capital as a critical lens, ten salient studies surrounding this issue are critically examined across various learning settings: Pop culture, mainstream schooling and instruction, post-secondary education, bilingual program, out-of-school literacy practices and online community—highlighted by the findings and pedagogical implications for English teaching and learning. A call for an inclusive and empathetic approach that can empower ELLs and legitimize their cultural capital is needed. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/81589 http://www.mextesol.net/journal/index.php?page=journal&id_article=22049 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle Chen, Julian
A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title_full A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title_fullStr A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title_full_unstemmed A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title_short A marginalized third space: English language learners’ cultural capital
title_sort marginalized third space: english language learners’ cultural capital
url http://www.mextesol.net/journal/index.php?page=journal&id_article=22049
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/81589