1. 05.04.2017 Stefan Vollmer edsv@leeds.ac.uk
Exploring the digital literacy practices of newly arrived Syrian refugees
The 13th Nordic Conference on initial literacy of low education people with other languages than Nordic
Stefan Vollmer

2. Theory – Conceptions of Literacies Research – Data Samples
Overview
Introduction
Theory – Conceptions of Literacies
Research – Data Samples
Practice – Implications for language teaching
Q & A

3. (1) Conceptions of Literacies

4. 1. Conceptions of Literacies School of something
FACULTY OF OTHER

5. What we need to do is to ‘problematize’ literacy, to show that it is not something that can be neatly and easily defined, that any definition is likely to be contested.
(Baynham, 1995:6)

6. Literacy, Literacies?
Critique of ‘skill based’ or ‘universal’ definitions of literacy
Street (1995, 2003) Literacy varies from one context to another and from one culture to another
“We decided that the outcomes of our discussions could be encapsulated in one word – multiliteracies – a word we chose to describe two important arguments [...]: the multiplicity of communications channels and media, and the increasing saliency of cultural and linguistic diversity." NLG (1996:63) (MXIT, supervernacular)
Literacy is…”linked to cultural and power structures” (Velghe/Blommaert, 2014:90)
Warschauer (2009:127f) “[…] Literacy Studies focuses on the kinds of underrecognized literacy practices that occur in the home, community, and other non-school settings; this perspective enables [to] […] understand literacy practices that are often ignored or derided in society at large […].” (Pearl – church life)

7. Towards an understanding of Literacy Practices
from skill-based, monolithic, and decontextualized conception of literacy
multilayered, multimodal, and plural take on literacy, which takes social and cultural implications into consideration, understands literacy as a wider social practice, and acknowledges changing communications environments, where literacy practices increasingly occur online, in the digital sphere

8. Digital Literacy Practices among minority groups
Research regarding digital literacy practices of adult migrant language and literacy learners is scarce!

10. Digital Literacy Practices among minority groups
Synopsis of current research:
Most information needs (settlement, housing, employment, health, and education) of refugee migrants are negotiated online (Alam and Imran, 2015). Smartphones and the Internet in general support integration, information gathering, and resettling processes (Gilhooly and Lee, 2014; Alam and Imran, 2015; Omerbasic, 2015),
Smartphones and access to the Internet help maintain relationships and communication pathways on a local, national, and transnational scale (Alam and Imran, 2015)
The Internet and mobile phones trigger informal language and literacy learning processes (e.g. Blommaert and Velghe, 2012; Velghe and Blommaert, 2014).

11. (2) Research – Data Samples

12. Context: Multiple Case Studies

13. References

14. Aban: Google Translate
Why did you want to come to England?

15. Google Translate
online translanguaging practices (“Before I bought the computer used phone”).
uses ‘voice function, so it was read out to me.
‘sharing function’, shares translation directly on social media or text messengers.

16. WhatsApp Aban regularly uses WhatsApp. (e.g. group chat)
WhatsApp used to stay in contact with friends, family and his wider ethnic community on a local scale (in Leeds).
group chat (picture) of Syrian ESOL students in Leeds.

17. Facebook Facebook primarily as a link/ communication pathway to Syria.
regularly shares extremely explicit footage and updates on situation in Syria.
shares pictures of the atrocities and war crimes directed against civilian, particularly against children. Aban showed me pictures of wounded, injured, and dead children.
religious posts, such as short prayers. Religious content and content of the war in Syria are often mixed and intertwined.
engages in multilingual digital literacy practices on Facebook

18. YouTube
YouTube: primarily for English language and literacy purposes. Aban watches tutorials specifically tailored for Arabic speaking English learners.
keeps notebook full of “Youtube phrases”. He carries notebook with him, everywhere he goes.
Aban used phrase from his notebook in the interview.
Aban thinks highly of these videos.

19. The data indicates that…
Aban expertly engages in ‘online translanguaging’ practices through his smartphone (Google Translate)
Aban maintains communication and information networks on a local scale (Leeds – WhatsApp) and on an international scale (Syria – Facebook)
Aban consciously and systematically works on his English language and English literacy proficiency and repertoire (YouTube videos)

20. Implications for further Research
Data collection methods produce rich and promising data.
Pilot Study did barely scratched the surface: in depth ethnographic, longitudinal research is necessary to capture and understand Aban’s digital literacy practices.
to consider: ‘online translanguaging’, online identity on social media

21. J:I like that because it's big image.
S: Stefan
J: J
S: Oh it's live?
 J: It's online. Live
 S: OK, so this is happening right now?
 J: Yeah. This is
J:I like that because it's big image.
S:You can just tune in!
J:I can listen, I can chat something. This is nice
S: You can say something!? 
J: 'Hello'. 'How are you?'  
S: Does she react?
J: You can ask something, if you ask her
S: What do they talk about?
J: ‘How old are you?' 'Where are you?'
J: It's nice (live?). It's nice and I learn English. Because I listen

22. (3) Implications

23. (4) Questions?

24. References

25. Blog: https://stefanvollmerblog.wordpress.com/
Stefan Vollmer
University of Leeds
Blog:
Publications: Digital Citizenship for Syrian refugees. In Cooke, M. and Peutrell, R. (2018) Brokering Britain. Multilingual Matters. Bristol.

26. Contact Stefan Vollmer University of Leeds
e: (Academia + ResearchGate)
wordpress:
Publications: Digital Citizenship for Syrian refugees. In Cooke, M. and Peutrell, R. (2018) Brokering Britain. Multilingual Matters. Bristol.