This unique and timely book follows the experiences of four Arabic teenagers, their families and their community, focusing on the role of literacy in their daily lives and the differences between home and school. The author looks at the conflict between expectations and practices at school and in the home, arguing that problems are inevitable where class and cultural differences exist.Emerging themes include:how literacy practices in the community are undergoing rapid change due to global developments in technologyhow the patterns of written and spoken language i