Chapter 9: Moll/Gonzales - Sean

In Chapter 9, “Lessons from Research with Language-Minority Children”, both Luis C. Moll and Norma Gonzales discuss the various ways in which bi or trilingual students and their classroom environments make use of the cultural diversity in their lives and lessons to better allow them to critically think about and analyze questions and situations presented to them.

This, in turn, leads to their theory of “Funds of Knowledge.” The theory explains that different cultures and families have a wealth of knowledge and experiences from which they can draw on information they’ve gathered through their lives, and pass it on to their children.

By sticking to the language that the children know best, and in utilizing the knowledge they may have attained from household learning as far as using it for instruction, teachers are able to actively allow students to critically think about different problems given to them during class. This lets students form their own ideas and connections on how to address new situations in their scholastic career at an early age.

In short, this is what both Luis C. Moll and Norma Gonzales are trying to get across in their article.