1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«I aim to understand seven multicultural Brazilian children’s perception of language use, identities, and language ideologies as they talk about their experiences. I consider key aspects that they think might have influenced their adjustment within Quebec society. Through conversational dialogs, I also aim to observe their perceptions of the influence of Brazilian and Canadian cultures on the seven Brazilian children’s views of bilingualism and biliteracy, their sense of self, and the way they view their new lives influence the construction of their identities.» (p. 16)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«1. How do seven Brazilian children position themselves in relation to language, culture, and identity? 2. How do these children perceive French and English languages in their immigration experience? 3. How do these children perceive their Portuguese language influences their social behaviors? 4. How do these children feel about their linguistic identities?» (p. 21)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Seven Brazilian children participated in this inquiry. They have been living in the Province of Québec since 2007 except for one participant who arrived in Québec in March 2012.» (p. 49)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«The biggest issue these children and their families report, during their immigration experience, was due to their inability to communicate in French or English. They were not able to understand what was being taught in classrooms as most of the teachers used to speak in French or in English. The parents also faced difficulties in the workplace as they felt that their inability to speak French fluently was becoming a barrier for them at work. Participants believe that language played a significant role in their overall immigration experience. Another problem these families report are the tensions that arise due to the fact of losing one’s cultural identity, having an identity that is different from the dominant culture, and a lack of social respect for their original cultural identity. […] Parents were mostly concerned about their children losing their mother language while acquiring and adopting dominant cultural values. Thus, it is essential for these parents that their children retain their mother tongue, so that they are able to communicate with their old friends and family members.» (p. 102)