Investigates effectiveness of the Project Early Access to Success in Education, which includes parent education sessions on assisting their children's developing literacy abilities, at-school parent/child activities, and at-home book-mediated activities. Finds improvement in language skills, with a strong impact on the children who scored low at…

Examines the rhetoric of family literacy focusing on restricted programs (family literacy programs that combine adult basic education for parents and early literacy) in relation to five issues: (1) the usage of the term family literacy; (2) targeting restricted programs to selected families; (3) program accessibility; (4) educational effects; and…

Parents make powerful contributions to their children's early literacy learning in school. The purpose of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of the Words-to- Go parent involvement program as part of a larger effort to reach out to parents in early literacy. Quantitative data from surveys and qualitative data from focus…

A study focused on types of talk between parents and children as predictors of development of skills such as narrating, explaining, and describing. The study investigated some measures of home language environment and their relationships with literacy outcomes. Eighty-four 3-year-old children from low income families in the Boston (Massachusetts)…

Among the reasons for growth in family literacy programs are the expansion of knowledge about how children learn, the need to involve parents and families more directly in programs for young children, and evidence supporting the relationship between parental education levels and children's school success. Intergenerational literacy programs are…

Researchers observed and rated environments of 80 early childhood settings in Australia, interviewed staff, and conducted focus group discussions with family members regarding early childhood literacy. Case study findings indicated that in settings with strong levels of congruence between family and staff perspectives on early literacies, both…

Preschool findings are summarized from a longitudinal study examining how parents and teachers support language skill development in children from low-income families from preschool through high school. The study identified three dimensions of experiences during preschool/kindergarten related to later literacy success: exposure to varied…

We examined models of individual change and correlates of change in the growth of reading skills in a sample of 40 children from kindergarten through third grade. A broad range of correlates was examined and included family literacy, oral language, emergent reading, intelligence, spelling, and demographic variables. Individual growth curve…

This newsletter theme issue focuses on the impact of learning disabilities within families, specifically families with low literacy skills. It explores the effectiveness of family literacy programs, examines the connection between the field of family literacy and learning disabilities (LD), and offers suggestions on how to work with students with…

A study examined the past home environment (prior to kindergarten entrance) of 26 students currently in grade 2. Subjects were selected from the population of second graders who participated in the district-wide First Grade Reading/Language Arts Assessment Test when they were in the first grade in an elementary school in central New Jersey.…

This report announces the publication of an annotated bibliography on family literacy and family literacy programs. The bibliography summarizes writings and research on family literacy and on topics directly relevant to family literacy programs. Directed toward program staff, researchers, community leaders, and policymakers, the publication covers…

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…

Noting that families from different socioeconomic status groups (SES) showed differences in their literacy-related practices, this study examined the importance of considering home literacy activities and parental beliefs on early literacy skills as a potential mediator of SES on early reading. Data were obtained from the base year dataset of the…

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…

Offers ways for early childhood and elementary teachers to explore a family's use of and priorities for literacy. Includes ethnographic vignettes emphasizing strategies for viewing families neutrally and avoiding assumptions and judgment. Asserts that to understand the family's literacy experiences and priorities will more closely connect…