Township families’ domestic support practices of their children’s schooling

Date
2016-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This thesis provides an analysis and discussion of how the domestic practices of township families build forms of capitals that support their children’s schooling. The thesis discussion responds to the question: How do families’ domestic practices in improvised township families provide support for their children’s schooling? Drawing on Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth model and Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital, this study challenges the deficit view of how township families support their children’s schooling and shows how the domestic support practices of impoverished families, as forms of assets, build cultural capital that enable their children to achieve at school. The findings of this study show that parents in impoverished circumstances draw on alternative forms of capitals, namely; aspirational, linguistic, familial and social capital as networks, resources, skills and abilities to build the cultural capital that positions their children successfully at school. This qualitative research study is situated in the interpretive paradigm. Through purposeful sampling, four families in a township community in the Western Cape were selected. I conducted in depth semi-structured interviews with the parents, family members and other adults who play a significant role in supporting their children’s schooling. This study provided an alternative view of township living and families’ domestic practices to show that impoverished families possess and utilise an array of knowledge, skills and abilities and social networks that build cultural capital which positions their children as average performers at school.
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Description
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2016
Keywords
Township families -- Emotional support -- South Africa, School children -- South Africa, Education -- Parent participation -- South Africa, UCTD, Bourdieu, Pierre -- 1930-2002
Citation