Rocha Bley 2021 doctoral thesis - Trans-Local Language Learning Spaces - Two Multi-Sited Ethnographic Case Studies

Aug 23, 2026

Uploaded by Violet

Previous research indicates that when learners’ home language differs from the language of instruction, school difficulties and early dropout risk increase, particularly for lusophone communities in Luxembourg. This dissertation documents how three newly arrived Brazilian preschool children experience the Luxembourgish education system, focusing on how adult-mediated support structures at home, school, and daycare shape language learning. Grounded in sociocultural theory and qualitative ethnographic evidence, it compares supports and mismatches across contexts to identify what enables or constrains development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages394

Reading Time16 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Dissertation Overview

Title and Research Focus

Theoretical Framework

Methodology and Data Collection

Data Analysis Approaches

PhD-FHSE-2021-047 The Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences DISSERTATION Presented on 14/12/2021 in Esch-sur-Alzette to obtain the degree of DOCTEUR DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU LUXEMBOURG EN SCIENCES DE L’ÉDUCATION by Flávia ROCHA BLEY Born on 16 August 1977 in Curitiba, Brazil (TRANS-)LOCAL LANGUAGE LEARNING SPACES OF THREE NEWLY ARRIVED BRAZILIAN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN LUXEMBOURG: TWO MULTI-SITED ETHNOGRAPHIC CASE STUDIES ON THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURES OF THEIR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS Dissertation defence committee Dr Claudine Kirsch, dissertation supervisor Professor, Université du Luxembourg Dr Sascha Neumann Professor, University of Tübingen Dr Mélanie Wagner, Chairperson Professor, Université du Luxembourg Dr Karita Mård-Miettinen Professor, University of Jyväskylä Dr Gabriele Budach, Vice Chairperson Professor, Université du Luxembourg Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis has been composed entirely by myself. The work contained herein is my own, except where stated otherwise by reference or acknowledgment. I also declare thar this work has not been submitted for any other degree or processional qualification. In the memory of my loving father. Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor Dr. Claudine Kirsch for having faith in me and accepting to supervise me, and for all her invaluable time, support, attention, insightful tutorials, and critical corrections. This work would not exist without her contributory supervision. I would also like to extend my deepest gratitude to Professor Dr. Sabine Ehrhart and Professor Dr. Gabrielle Budach for being members of the evaluation committee over the past six years. They, too, believed in my capabilities and potential to improve. Their supportive supervision made this thesis possible. This gratitude must be also extended to the University of Luxembourg and all the support given to students. I’m extremely grateful to Professor Dr. Mélanie Wagner, Professor Dr. Sascha Neumann, and Prof. Karita Mård-Miettinen for kindly agreeing on reading my thesis and being members of my defence jury. I owe a debt of gratitude to the several participants in my research: the families, the children, and the teachers. They were vital for the study. I am thankful for their trust in allowing me, a stranger, into their homes and classrooms. I owe a debt of gratitude for all of them. I truly celebrate the successes and happy lives of Thiago, Bianca and Luiza. They will probably forget about me soon, but they will be in my heart forever. The two participant associations who direct the Maison Relais I visited deserve my recognition and appreciation for trusting in me, allowing my entrance and filling questionnaires. I must also thank the other parents who opened their doors to me. Apart from the two protagonist families in my study, another three families accepted being part of the research and invited me into their homes. Those first encounters were crucial in helping me in the path towards my final research design. I would also like to thank Ms. André Bezerril, the honorary consul of Brazil in Luxembourg, who helped spread the word and gather participants for my study. Many thanks to Luiz and Guilherme for their IT support on a Saturday evening and on a Sunday morning respectively. I am much grateful for Ms. Amanda Curdt-Christiansen Malthe for her valuable time and attention in proofreading this thesis, and for Dr. Simone Mortini and Dr. Sarah Degano for their support. Lastly, but not least, my family. I am especially thankful to my husband Paulo and my son, Davi, who agreed to jump onto the plane with me, move to a new continent, and start a new chapter in our lives. I must also thank them for remaining open to new challenges and making the efforts to adapt. Without their settling down happily in the new country, this thesis would not have been completed. To my son Davi who is the reason

FAQs

What problem does the dissertation address for migrant children in Luxembourg?

It addresses how differences between children’s home language and the language of instruction can lead to school inadequacy and early dropout, with special attention to lusophone children in Luxembourg.

What does the study investigate across the three children’s learning contexts?

It examines how adults shape children’s immediate environments and how parents, teachers, and educators provide supporting structures for language development at home, school, and Maison Relais.

How was the research conducted and analyzed?

The qualitative study used participant observation, fieldnotes, video recordings, photographs, questionnaires, and interviews, and applied qualitative analysis methods including Qualitative Content Analysis and Sociocultural Discourse Analysis.

Aug 23, 2026

Uploaded by Violet