Beloved Strangers

While the influx of new language learners into American schools has resulted in a growing body of literature on second language acquisition, little research exists about how those who do not read and write their native tongue develop as readers, writers, and speakers of another language. Even fewer studies address language learning as an act of inquiry between native speakers and new language learners. Beloved Strangers attempts to do both. It is the story of how an American teacher and a Somali Bantu refugee family worked together to negotiate American language and culture during the family's first year in the United States. It reveals how family members used the strategies, resources, and people at their disposal to create for themselves a unique and personalized way of making sense of the world. This book affirms that language learning transcends materials and methodology, and that those who desire to teach are most effective when they are vulnerable enough to learn from their students. Anyone involved in teaching and learning, including classroom teachers, administrators, and policy makers, will find Beloved Strangers to be thought provoking and informative.