By encouraging, supporting, and nurturing a young child's development, parents can make their child's first learning experiences pleasant and fruitful. As the child's most important teacher, parents can help their children make a smooth transition from home to school. If parents trust their instincts, remain patient, and provide plenty of…

Based on the idea that parents are the first and most important teachers, this bilingual (Spanish/English) book offers 101 practical and fun-to-do activities that children and parents can do together. This edition provides a preface by Professor Josefina Villamil Tinajero and additional information of particular interest to Latino parents. The…

Discusses the goals of Project Family Initiative for English Literacy (FIEL) and the rationale for the model on which it is based. Describes the curriculum and the content of the five-step lessons. Provides an example of one family's literacy growth within the project. (MG)

This manual documents a family literacy program developed by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and conducted at a local elementary school. It describes how the program combined General Educational Development (GED) courses for parents with a preschool program for their 3- to 4-year-old children. Based on the Kenan Family Literacy model…

This handbook offers guidance and support for parents in their efforts to foster the growth and development of reading skills in their children. Each section of the handbook deals with a separate educational level (early childhood, primary grades, and intermediate grades), and includes an introduction, a skills development section, an activities…

This videotape (in either VHS of 3/4 inch format) presents an interactive teleconference where renowned national experts, local educators, and community leaders share ideas on how to improve schools and reach the National Educational Goals. This 60-minute Satellite Town Meeting focuses on laying the foundation for school success through readiness…

This guide is designed to provide a resource on family literacy videotapes for programs in family literacy, adult basic education, and English as a Second Language serving parent populations. The guide provides information from the rating sheets of adult educators throughout Pennsylvania who volunteered their time and expertise in reviewing some…

This document provides an overview of a family literacy demonstration project conducted to offer family literacy classes in three public schools in Philadelphia. The project was designed to help adults meet their own needs and to enable them to support their children's learning. The whole-language, learner-centered approach was used. Background…

This guide for school district administrators answers question about Even Start, a new, special family-centered compensatory education program funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 that combines adult literacy, parent education, and early childhood education. The following issues about program design are…

This book is an account of the development and implementation of the University of Massachusetts English Family Literacy Project, presented as a curriculum guide for others who may be involved in developing English-as-a-Second-Language and family literacy programs for immigrants and refugees. An introductory section describes the program, the…

Synthesizing information on language arts gleaned from research on emergent literacy, early childhood education, and special education, this book underscores what is being emphasized in early childhood teacher accreditation programs--responding to the increasingly diverse needs of young language learners in inclusive settings, working with parents…

This handbook, developed from the authors' experience working with parents and children in a family literacy program in Niagra Falls, Canada, presents ideas and activities that help family members work together to learn why reading and writing are important and how children learn about literacy. It provides parents with step-by-step instructions…

Acknowledging the problems with and the need for family communication, this booklet shows how increasing family reading can improve family communication and bring parent and child closer. It is not designed to teach a child how to read, but will show parents how to help their child become a better and more enthusiastic reader, by experiencing…

This book is part of a series that helps parents choose books for their children and talk with them about books in ways that actively engage children with the meaning on the printed page. The Introduction discusses children's natural development and how it affects their reading interests and behaviors. The first chapter, "Reading and Sharing…

Argues that making ethnic-specific literature integral to the literature program enhances a sense of community. Describes ways of exploring and reading ethnic-specific literature, and lists some titles for adults, young adults, and children. Offers criteria for selecting books, and suggests ways to create a community of readers using literature…