Abstract

WADDINGTON, Julie; SIQUES, Carina; VILA, Maria Carolà  and  MORENO, Maria Nieves Jimenez. A funds of knowledge approach to promoting school engagement. Psicol. pesq. [online]. 2020, vol.14, n.1, pp. 132-148. ISSN 1982-1247.  http://dx.doi.org/10.34019/1982-1247.2020.v14.27698.

Research shows that the exclusion of families' funds of knowledge (FoK) from the curriculum contributes to low levels of school engagement. This study is part of an ongoing research project aiming to promote school engagement among students from immigrant backgrounds through the strategic use of FoK. We provide an overview of the project design and explain how it has been implemented in the specific context of early childhood education in a school in Catalonia. A qualitative approach is used to assess the effect of the process from the teacher perspective, contrasting positive aspects with some of the difficulties experienced. We conclude that including families' FoK in pedagogical practice can contribute towards improving student engagement and fostering more inclusive educational environments.

Keywords : Funds of knowledge; Student engagement; Immigrant families; Pedagogical practice; Early childhood education.

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