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| Guidelines for Reading Tutoring Sessions: Family Literacy (or what do I do now?) |
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In the national service arena, tutoring models range from cross-age to intergenerational programs. But don't let the jargon scare you. Instead, think of yourself as an advocate, and use the following guidelines to create successful sessions.
The goals of family literacy programs vary widely. Some programs seek to raise the literacy levels of parents who then work with their children. Some try to help parents to increase their involvement in schools and their interaction with teachers. Some focus on educating parents about the complexities of the reading process. But, researchers agree the foundation for children's reading begins at home. And every family—regardless of literacy levels—can support children's interest in books. Depending on the focus of the program and the needs of the community, the role of the tutor may shift from parent advocate to language instructor. Many of the suggestions for working with adult and English language learners may apply to family literacy programs. In addition, these tips may help you to work successfully and respectfully with families.
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Tips for Working with Families
Honor the home culture. Attitudes about the importance of reading vary from one household to the next. Be sensitive to any discrepancies between home and school culture. A good tutor can help bridge gaps.
Make connections between reading at home and at school. Establishing a lending library helps to make that connection. You can provide necessary writing materials and shape good library habits. In addition, you can help families gain the skills they need to negotiate their way through school. Find as many ways as possible to include the whole family in the tutoring/learning experience.
Choose appropriate material. Children and adults alike want to see their own experiences reflected in books. Most libraries have multicultural book lists. Seek these out. If you can't locate resources, work together with parents and children to create books that celebrate family memories. Sharing photo albums is a great way to "cross borders."
Encourage learning activities at home. Many daily chores and activities foster learning. Cooking with a parent can strengthen a child's understanding of sequencing (you have to mix the batter before you put the cake in the oven). Learning to knit teaches patterns and repetition. Coloring, painting, and working with small manipulatives helps develop fine motor skills. Let family members know that the small things they do every day can contribute to their child's success in school.
Communicate progress. Tutors who work in family literacy programs may be asked to chart the progress of adults and their children. It is important to give and receive regular feedback. Be sure to establish a regular means of communication, whether a weekly phone call or a monthly meeting. Schedule these at times that are convenient for the family.
Include parents in the planning process. Tutoring sessions will be most effective when program goals align with family goals, which may include both literacy and economic self-sufficiency. Parent representatives provide an important perspective. Invite parents in your community to serve on advisory boards or steering committees.
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| Links |
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- The American Library Association provides documents with information on various facets of designing a family literacy program including recruiting volunteers, building partnerships with the community, and other elements that make a strong program.
- Exploring Family Literacy is a handbook that was designed, researched, and compiled by college students in the Education 100 course at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This course is a part of the Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education (SCALE) Literacy Action Network (LAN)—a consortium of campus-based literacy programs implementing or expanding a service-learning initiative related to literacy. The network was funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Learn and Serve America - Higher Education.
- The Family Education Network hosts a site that is loaded with fun activities focused on children of all ages and their parents but that is useful to teachers and tutors too. Of the activities, my favorites are the quizzes, designed to educate the reader. Also, forums for discussing many issues related to education give participants a chance to exchange ideas and opinions.
- Family Literacy: A Review of Programs and Critical Perspectives. In this research review, the Harvard Family Research project (1) defines family literacy, (2) describes critical perspectives on family literacy programs, (3) draws out the guiding program principles they suggest, and (4) illustrates how these principles are implemented in three different programs.
- The Families Reading Together page of the Baltimore County Public Library provides helpful hints for reading aloud to children, book lists, a family literacy bibliography, and online stories. Links to the Children's Book Council, which provides guidelines for choosing books for children. Remember to check with your own public library for existing resources and programs!
- Family-School Partnerships for Students' Reading Success Workshop. Written for the Minnesota Reading Excellence Act training sessions, the two modules in this workshop focus on home-school strategies to enhance students' reading success. The Parent-Teacher Partnership Module provides teachers with knowledge about effective partnerships and strategies to enhance home support for reading. The Leadership Module for Family-School Partnerships provides school leadership teams with information about school variables that impact parent participation.
- Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based, early intervention program that helps parents provide educational enrichment to their preschool children. Through supporting parents, HIPPY seeks to increase vulnerable children’s success in school and, ultimately, adult life.
- Houghton Mifflin’s Education Place website includes a Kids’ Clubhouse, a Teachers’ Center, and a Parents’ Place. Each link has educational games, activities, tips and lesson plans. This site gives students the opportunity to publish their writing on the web through book reviews and stories.
- Literacy Link. PBS designed this site, LiteracyLink, for adult education programs. LiteracyLink provides lesson modules for adults taking the GED, assessment tools, and training resources. These resources are useful for students and program coordinators. Many helpful links are listed including websites for English Language Learners, tutoring, correctional facility education, family literacy and professional development.
- The National Adult Literacy Database offers over sixty links to a wide variety of family literacy topics and programs. You will find resources ranging from program design to choosing children’s books to fun activities for students. This website provides one of the more comprehensive lists of sites in the United States and Canada, including different agencies involved in family literacy.
- National Center for Family Literacy seeks to break the cycle of under-education and promote family literacy by improving parents' basic skills and attitudes toward education, parenting skills, children's pre-literacy and school readiness skills, and the overall quality of parent-child relationships. Access free publications and previews of publications for sale. A training calendar gives dates of intensive and general trainings for practitioners in the field. Information on the connections between family literacy and welfare reform are also available.
- The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA), operated by George Washington University, has wonderful publications on community and parent involvement. The publications are geared to culturally diverse students and English language learners.
- Publications for Parents.The U.S. Department of Education designed these publications as a resource for parents helping their children with schoolwork, and dealing with concerns related to their children’s education. Spanish editions of some of the publications are available.
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