What Is Family Literacy?
Family Literacy Programs...
- aim to break the intergenerational cycle of low literacy skills and resulting poverty
- focus on both children and parents, with the family as the unit of service
- are community-based collaborations
- build solid community relationships to support families
- may serve English language learners, migrant families, and other families with distinct and special needs
The Adult Education segment of the Family Literacy model seeks to provide parent literacy training that leads to economic self-sufficiency. The parent's attitude about learning will become the child's. Enhanced reading, math, and language skills will lead parents to set goals for both their children’s and their own educational and personal achievements.
The Family Literacy model also seeks to provide young children with age-appropriate education to prepare them for success in school and life.
Parent support and education, a pivotal concept of the Family Literacy model, seeks to show parents how to be the primary teachers for their children, and full partners in their children's education.
The Family Literacy model culminates in Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time, comprising interactive literacy activities between parents and their children.
There are many Family Literacy programs, both public and community-based, throughout Tennessee, and many other education programs, such as Head Start, consider the Family Literacy concept an extremely important component in accomplishing their own missions. The Tennessee Department of Education sponsors Even Start Family Literacy Programs in 25 counties, and One-Room Drop-In School programs in three counties.
Governor Bill Haslam
