Abstract
Ethnographic research requires a close examination of learning across recurring situations, and in the case of chapter one, the central foci are literacy and multimodal practices. The research is informed by a cultural view of literacy that situates learning as social. Therefore, the author describes in detail the participants, school site, classrooms, teachers, and the role of the researcher. In addition, there is a comprehensive description of methodology including the data collected and the analyses employed (e.g., grounded theory, multimodal analysis, text maker rubrics).
TopSchool Site
This research occurred in a public, Title I elementary school located in the southeastern United States over the course of the last five years. The school serves approximately 700 students in grades pre-kindergarten through grade five. The student population is very diverse with the following races and ethnicities represented: 47% African American, 24% Latino, 19% European American, 2% Asian, and 1% American Indian. There are more than 15 different primary languages spoken in the students’ homes and approximately 85% of the students receive free or reduced lunch from the federal government’s school lunch program (GeorgiaGov, n.d.).