Date of Award

5-31-2026

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Early Childhood Education and Care

First Advisor

Lianna Pizzo

Second Advisor

Patricia Paugh

Third Advisor

Mona Abo-Zena

Abstract

Existing research highlights the role of home language and literacy environments (HLLE) in shaping early language and literacy development, yet few studies have examined the practices of multilingual families in India. While home environments offer rich learning opportunities, broader sociocultural and policy contexts influence how families support literacy and language development. Families’ insights into home language use, literacy routines, and cultural practices remain underexplored in early childhood education research.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the HLLE of preschool-aged children in India and examine how families support early language and literacy development within multilingual home contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory (1979, 2005), the study investigated literacy practices, the beliefs shaping them, and the sociocultural influences informing family decision-making. Data were collected from two multilingual Indian families through semi-structured caregiver interviews, home observations, field notes, and literacy artifacts. Data were coded inductively using conventional qualitative content analysis with NVivo and analyzed within and across cases.

Findings indicate that children’s emergent literacy is socially mediated, culturally grounded, and multimodal, occurring through storytelling, shared reading, oral interactions, play, early writing, digital tools, and religious and cultural routines. Families intentionally balance heritage language maintenance with English development, viewing home languages as central to identity and belonging while recognizing English as a resource for academic and economic opportunities. Implications address early childhood education, multilingual pedagogy, family–school partnerships, and language policy, highlighting the importance of supporting multilingual home literacy practices.

Comments

Free and open access to this work is made available to the UMass Boston community by ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this work through Interlibrary Loan. If you have a UMass Boston campus username and password and would like to download this work from off-campus, click on the “Off-Campus Users” button.

Download

Share

COinS