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Family Literacy |
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Family Literacy Fact Page
1. What is Family Literacy?
Family literacy has been defined as:
- The way parents, children, and extended family members use literacy at home and in their community (International Reading Association’s Family Literacy Commission);
- The passing of knowledge from one generation to another (National Center for Family Literacy);
- Coordinated learning among different generations in a family (Massachusetts Family Literacy Consortium).
While there may be different definitions, family literacy is what parents and children do independently and collectively to build literacy skills of each family member.
2. What are Family Literacy Programs?
Family Literacy Programs offer families “services of sufficient intensity and duration” in:
- Adult Education (English classes, Adult Diploma and GED programs, Transition to College and Native Language Literacy)
- Childhood Education (pre-school to high school)
- Interactive Literacy Activities (formerly known as Parent and Child Time)
- Parenting Education and Support
3. How Many Family Literacy Programs Does Cambridge Have?
Currently, there are only two programs in Cambridge that provide parents and children 7 and under with all four family literacy services (see services listed above). The Cambridge Even Start and the King Open Family Literacy Program’s services include ESOL and Intermediate reading and writing for parents, parenting discussions, parent and child time, computer literacy, childcare reimbursements.
4. Why is Family Literacy Important?
The term family literacy was coined after “researchers and practitioners became increasingly aware that family environments played some role in the formation of literacy skills in young children.” According to the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative [1], children develop skills that make learning to read easier simply by talking to and with their parents. Such skills include learning the sounds that make up words, vocabulary and grammar.
5. What Can Parents Do to Support Children’s Learning?
The Cambridge Family Literacy Collaborative suggests the following:
- Talk and listen to your child every chance you get;
- Let your child see you read, write and do math;
- Learn with your child;
- Talk to teachers about your child’s background and culture;
- Expect the best for you and your child.
6. What is The Cambridge Pathways to Family Success Project?
In 2001, Cambridge was awarded a State Department of Education/Massachusetts Family Literacy Consortium Coordinated Family Literacy and Family Support Pilot Project grant. Cambridge has used this grant called Pathways to Family Success to promote family literacy as well as the coordination and integration of family literacy services.
7. What are Some Things the Project Has Done?
The project has collaborated with Agenda for Children and three other councils in the community (0-8 Council, Cambridge Family Literacy Collaborative and ABE Planning Group) to:
- Establish a listserv for all councils to communicate and share information;
- Increase collaboration so more members of a family receive needed family literacy services.
8. Who can be contacted for More Information about Family Literacy or the Pathways Project?
Contact Michele Gomez, Pathways Project Coordinator at 617-665-3812 or mgomez@challiance.org.
[1] Information about the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative and other programs can be found in the Cambridge Somerville Resource Guide.
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