Community cultural wealth as an asset for language learning in Finnish adult basic education

This study deals with the language learning and cultural wealth of migrant students in adult basic education. Migrants studying in adult basic education (ABE) are often viewed from a deficit perspective, because their skills and knowledges are not recognised in formal education contexts. This study chooses to focus on the assets of these students by viewing their educational opportunities through the lenses of language learning investment and community cultural wealth (CCW). Ethnographic data from a school in rural Finland were analysed thematically to reveal patterns that support or hinder the students' language learning investment. Results indicated that linguistic capital was strongly present in the classroom, but students were not always able to mobilise it outside of school. Students had varying aspirations for the future, and were able to mobilise their resistant capital to battle unequal conditions in Finnish society. Novel findings included technology capital and capital of care.