Family Literacy: From Theory to Practice

In general terms, family literacy concerns the reading and writing skills that parents, children, and other family members use throughout their daily lives. Although some elementary and secondary school teachers have found family literacy to be an effective solution to helping their low-achieving students toward academic success, many educators still have a vague notion of what family literacy is and how it can be used with children and their families. Family Literacy: From Theory to Practice addresses the need for more information by directly connecting theory to practice in ways that will provide new and useful information to those training to work with families and young children, those already in the family literacy field, and others who wish to assist families in improving their literacy skills and lives. The 14 chapters are divided into four sections that address theoretical perspectives on family literacy, specific strategies for promoting family literacy in schools and communities, descriptions of diverse family literacy programs, and evaluations of family literacy programs and their participants. The chapters show the diversity of family literacy programs; present program goals and resulting outcomes; and stress the need for all educators to appreciate families' strengths, interests, and needs. Family Literacy provides a wealth of information for preservice and inservice teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and funders who want to design, develop, or improve family literacy programs.