Literacy Links

Family Literacy

Learner as a Family Member/Parent

By Joy Bayley
Family Literacy Facilitator, Humble ISD

Humble Independent School District has been addressing the needs of parent learners for the past 10 years through the Family Learning Project, an Even Start Family Literacy Program. The strong link between children's literacy levels and the educational levels of their parents has been an important motivating factor in the design and implementation of a program to meet the education needs of families. As low-literate parents improve their basic skills, their children improve their grades, test scores, reading skills, and become less likely to drop out of school.

In order to be successful in today's rapidly changing society, adults must become life long learners, constantly updating the skills and knowledge necessary to function at work, at home, and in the community. Parents must not only meet these challenges for themselves, but they must also prepare their children to reach their full potential in the society of the future.

Parent learners do not measure their success by simply tallying their own accomplishments. As a parent, their ability and willingness to read to their children, their frequent interaction with their children's teachers and even their attendance at school functions are importance measures of their success as adult learners. Their GED acquisition, college enrollment and English language literacy have a long-term impact on their children's positive attitudes toward education, improved school performance and increased enrollment in higher education.

It is important for literacy program providers to help parents make the connection between their own personal success and achievement of educational goals and the well being of their children and families. Integration of the components of the Even Start Program provides the perfect opportunity to make these connections for families. Common messages and themes are identified and continuously reinforced across components. The Family Learning Project focuses component services on the identified needs and interests of currently enrolled parent learners. Many of these focus areas remain consistent from year to year due to their universal importance to the achievement of family goals. A sample of objectives in each of the components is listed below.

Adult Literacy Education

• build confidence in employment opportunities and abilities
• aid in acquisition of GED or Adult Basic Education instruction, accompanied by greater income or employment
• provide instruction in English as a second language
• tailor all instruction to meet parenting objectives.

Parent and Child Together

• assist parents to become full partners in the education of their children
• help children reach their full potential as learners
• educate adults and pre-school children together to create a synergistic effect on educational gains for both
• encourage parents and children to play together to promote interaction and improved communication.

Parent Time

• help parents understand and enrich children's development
• increase family access to and use of social services
• present information on child behavior management, nurturing and coping
• provide instruction in principles of health and nutrition
• increase self esteem and basic life skills competence.

Early Childhood Education

• transition children into Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-Kindergarten/Preschool, Elementary School.

An important first step for Family Literacy Project parent learners is the development of educational, personal, and parenting goals. Therefore, program staff members:

• assist parents in designing individual learning plans based upon their short term and long term goals
• expand parent knowledge of the range of education/employment and seek career counseling and funding
• encourage parents' self evaluations and assist parents to identify their educational, personal, and parenting needs and interests
• help parents to develop personal (and group) mission statements and put them into action
• assess student progress in achievement of literacy goals
• evaluate parental goals in self esteem and confidence
• link families with appropriate community resources to assist in achievement of educational/personal/parental goals.

Instructional programs are formulated after soliciting input from parents as a part of group and individual discussions and surveys on topics of interest. These programs:

• help parents see how problem solving and critical thinking skills can be used in their daily activities
• provide instruction with a functional context (i.e. workplace, life skills)
• combine group and individual activities
• create a classroom environment that encourages participants to believe that they can learn
• build instruction based upon students prior knowledge and in accordance with learning styles and personal interests
• engage students in special activities stressing cooperative learning, problem solving and critical thinking
• encourage student creative thinking
• provide a safe classroom environment for discussing issues and sharing problems
• plan and incorporate specific self-esteem enhancing projects
• encourage mutual respect of students through incorporation of lessons on cultural diversity, stressing teamwork and cooperative learning
• use bilingual materials when appropriate to reinforce the command of the English language
• celebrate and encourage special events such as the acquisition of driver's license, jobs, honors and awards of parents and other family members, and outstanding achievements
• disseminate financial and home management information
• provide opportunities to include all family members
• inform parents of rights and responsibilities of citizenship, including voting.

In order to be successful lifelong learners, both parents and their children must develop computer competencies. The Family Learning Project provides computer instruction as part of GED and ESL classes, on home visits, and at the computer labs in the Community Learning Center. Home computers are loaned to actively participating program families. Interested parents are enrolled in eight week "Computer Basics" classes held for two hours each Wednesday morning. Computer time for parents and children is provided during PACT activities, whenever possible.

Activities and instruction in all components emphasize and model realistic expectations and appropriate guidance of children. The summer program, night meetings, and special events are all specifically designed to enhance literacy and strengthen family bonds. Activities are appropriate to the ages and skills of the children being served. PACT time and parenting events:

• model following the child's lead during play
• allow time at meals so that parents and children eat and talk together
• debrief after activities to encourage parent examination and reflection
• provide regularly scheduled activities that allow parents to learn, practice and gain confidence in identifying realistic expectations and behavior management strategies for their children
• instruct parents in basic health and safety concepts so that all children are ready to learn (nutrition, dental care, hygiene, CPR, home/community safety, and basic pediatric care)
• encourage family use of the school and public libraries, museums, zoos, and other local services
• encourage parents to communicate with appropriate school personnel in the areas of academics, language, and behavior
• provide speakers from the District and community to enhance parents' early literacy knowledge
• provide information on and referrals to Early Head Start, Head Start, and District pre-K programs for program children.

Parent learners face a myriad of complex challenges in the pursuit of their educational, personal, and parental objectives. Programs are challenged to develop and integrate services into a unified family centered approach that supports the parent learner.

About the Author

Joy Bayley has been involved with the Family Learning Project for eight years as an ESL instructor, Parent Educator and Director. She is a certified teacher, an accountant and an MBA. She loves jogging, gardening and watching her youngest daughter's sports events.

Example of Integrated Unit from the 2000-2001 Program Year

January 2001 - Theme: "Staying Healthy"

Speakers/Special Presentations

A Harris County Health Department Nutritionist and Registered Dietician demonstrated preparing healthy foods families would eat. Parents sampled foods and received recipes. They discussed the food pyramid and dietary requirements for children at different ages. The Nutritionist demonstrated alternative preparation methods for commonly prepared foods and discussed eating healthy on a budget. Parents discussed how some of their favorite recipes could be modified. Specific nutrition related health concerns were discussed.

Health

Parents and children participated in basic health screenings. Adults were screened for hearing, vision, blood pressure, height, and weight. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers were screened using age-appropriate screening tools. Referrals for health services, eye glasses, etc. were made when appropriate.

Adult Education Classes/Parenting

Parents brainstormed healthy habits they currently practiced and compiled a list of health concerns to be discussed in this unit. They placed orders for health pamphlets available to the program. Some students reviewed newspaper articles on community health concerns (i.e. meningitis) and others did research on health topics of interest on the computer.

Each parent identified one health service/concern he/she would like to research and present to the class. They identified local agencies/business relevant to their area of interest and contacted them by telephone or in person (i.e. doctors, health clubs, etc.). Several ESL students practiced identifying themselves, stating their interest, asking questions regarding cost, location, hours, etc. and actually called on the speaker telephone during class time to get information. Students mapped out the locations of health related agencies/services in the Houston area that were of interest to the class. Others wrote summaries of the information they had compiled and presented them to the class.

Several students were interested in exploring careers in the health care field and researching educational/training programs and scholarship opportunities. They reviewed catalogues from area universities and community colleges. One GED student called the community college for information on prerequisites for her chosen field, laboratory technician.

Parents discussed the opportunities to help their children develop good eating habits during PACT breakfast and lunch before and after Even Start classes. A group of mothers reviewed the school lunch menu for the current week. They applied the food pyramid information they learned from the Health Department Nutritionist and agreed to ask the District nutritionist to speak to them regarding the choices being made for the school lunch menus.

PACT

Age appropriate centers were set up for PACT activities related to children's health and nutrition.

Parents made sure the Early Childhood teachers were aware of their children's food allergies. All participants were given a donated growth chart to use with their children.