Family Literacy

1. Family Literacy • According to research, family is the first and most influential contributor to a child’s literacy development. • Literacy goals should be articulated and agreed upon by educators, families, and the community at large. • As educators we must be involved in providing support services to families especially, to family literacy.

2. Involve parents and the community • Participation of parents in education is legislates (Chapter 1) in the US that schools foster family involvement activities. (helping parents understand the academic growth of their children” as well as getting them to participate in “actual reading and writing activities that support classroom learning: (Smith, 1991, p700).

3. Family Literacy • Family literacy is more than the level of reading and writing attained by the family members, but to ‘families working together to promote mutual learning” (Nickse, 1989, cited in Smith, 1991, p. 700) • Even for some of the parents who do not respond to teachers’ efforts, there may be some extenuating circumstances, single parenting, both parents working, etc.. • Teachers need to find ingenious ways of enlisting families by defining literacy broadly:

4. Literacy in a broad sense • Snyder (1990) says, “When parents accept a broadened view of literacy learning, they become increasingly involved in the educative process, as models, participants and audience. Their children, as excited and achieving learners, become powerful influences for continued parental support. (p. 22)

5. Involve families • Keep families informed about their child’s progress, and also the activities that are being planned for the class (parents may want to share there experiences). • Foster partnerships with the larger community:

6. Nine ways to involve the public in language education • Invite community members to the school to share their expertise or interest with students. • Encourage visitors to read a favorite book or tell a favorite story. • If students like a guest, invite them again! • Ask community members to correspond with students • Encourage community members to become volunteer tutors in the school. Senior citizens are an especially valuable source.

7. Continued • Invite businesses to “sponsor” a class in the school • Students interview business and professional people about there reading habits • Have students interview the community members for the school or class newspaper • Ask businesses display children’s stories and art work.

8. The National PTA - Standards • Enhancing communication • Supporting effective parenting • Promoting student learning • Encouraging volunteerism • Participating in school decision making, and advocacy • Collaborating with the community

9. Managing conflict with parents • Feel/felt/found – suppose a parent criticizes the way you teach reading,.. • STAR. - Suppose a parent says to you, “You can just stop sending those books home. …That is your job. (Stop, Think, Ask, Respond) • The criticism Sandwich – Good/Bad/Good • Reflect, Reframe, Review – reflect (listen with full attention), Reframe (step back from the problem, try to turn a negative into a positive), Review (clarify how you’ll work together…

10. Small group Activity • List ten reasons parents might offer for deciding not to attend to a school meeting or volunteering to help with a school project. Re-read your list and place a star beside the ones that you believe you, as a teacher, have the power to change. Your challenge is to seek solution to the ones without stars. Where would you begin? What would you suggest?

11. Group Activity Write a sample dialogue between a parent and a teacher using one of the four conflict management strategies. Be prepared to play it for the class