FAMILY LITERACY EVENTS MADE EASY!

Dr. Rosemary Chance

BONJOUR!

MERCI, LAREDO!

FAMILY LITERACY #1

At the heart is the

improvement of

reading and

writing skills for

children & parents

in one family.

FAMILY LITERACY #2

“The home is the

child’s first

school, the parent

is the child’s first

teacher, and

reading is the

child’s first

subject.”

FAMILY LITERACY #3

Child-parent

relationships are

essential to the

development of a

child’s literacy

ability.

INTIMIDATING PLACES

INTIMIDATING RELATIONSHIPS

LACK OF LITERACY

• The working

poor

• Female heads of

households

• Minority groups

• English-

language

learners

MAJOR BARRIERS

• Few books in the

home

• Parents don’t model

reading

• No easy access to

transportation

• Parents are

uncomfortable

entering schools

and libraries

2 MAJOR OBJECTIVES

OF AN EVENT

1. Interactive

literacy

activities

2. Training for

parents

BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER

NATIONAL & STATE PROGRAMS

A carefully planned sequence of events and

meetings

Even Start ($30,000 to $7 million)

Improving Literacy through School

Libraries

Barbara Bush Foundation for Literacy

Professional families

– 45 million words

Working class – 26

million words

Welfare families – 13

million words

READ ALOUD HANDBOOK

Research: # of Words Children Hear

Grade level(s)

Theme

Welcoming activity

Introduction

Read aloud

An activity for

both parent and

child

A snack or a meal

Something to take

away

Art project or activity

Time to read as a family

Refreshments

Conclusion

Something to take

home

10 BASIC STEPS OF A FAMILY LITERACY EVENT

CLICK, CLACK, MOO: COWS THAT TYPE

Second & third graders

Farm animals

Variety of puppets &

masks

Goals for children

Goals for parents

Librarian reads book

aloud

EXAMPLE EVENT

Make masks; drama

Books about farm

animals

Milk & cookies

Reading is fun &

interactive

Choose a free

paperback

DOGS & PETS

MOVIES BASED ON BOOKS

BEARS

DRAMA!

OH, NO!

RHYMES

TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

BIOGRAPHIES

EVENT VARIATION

Come & go

5-7 p.m.

Simple activity

Guest reader

Drawing for books or…

Milk & cookies

BENEFITS OF AN EVENT

Reading can expand a family’s horizons

Access to books for those with limited access

Parents & children interact in literacy

activities

Brings families to libraries for literacy and

learning

TURNING A STORYTIME INTO A LITERACY EVENT

Same books

Same themes

Same crafts

Same literacy skills

Hand out tips to parents

5 KEYS TO IMPACT LITERACY

Frequent events

Consistent events

Faculty/staff

Keep it simple!

Planning

A LIST OF PICTURE BOOKS

A PLANNING GUIDE

RESEARCH SOURCE

Handbook of Family Literacy

Edited by Barbara Hanna Wasik

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004

CRASH COURSE IN FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS

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Email: rxc001@shsu.edu

AU REVOIR