Reach Out and Read in the NYC Family Literacy

NetworkElyse Barbell Rudolph, Executive Director, elyser@lacnyc.org, (212) 803-

3302

Alecia D’Angelo, Family Literacy Associate, aleciad@lacnyc.org, (212)

803-3349

What is Family Literacy? 

“Any literacy work that supports parents in their efforts to make a better life for their families is family literacy. Family literacy means much more than parents reading bedtime stories or helping children with homework; family literacy includes whatever strengthens communication within families and enables parents to advocate for family needs.”

(Auerbach, 1996)

What Does Family Literacy Look Like?

Family literacy enhances parent education and involvement and children’s literacy levels through programs that may include:

• English for Speakers of Other Languages(ESOL) and adult basic education classes

• Assistance for parents in navigating the public school system

• Promotion of early literacy• Childhood education • Interactive literacy activities for parents and

children

What Else Do Family Literacy Programs Provide?

The New York City Family Literacy Network

• A network of more than 200 family literacy providers in New York City working together to strengthen families and support literacy

www.nonprofitmaps.org/netmaps/lac/lac.htm

What Does the Network Do?• Strengthens, enhances, and expands

adult and family literacy services in New York

• Enhances the visibility of the broad range of programs that provide literacy and other educational services to parents, children and families

• Provides opportunities for literacy practitioners to share information, and disseminate exemplary practices

• Identifies, and draws the attention of public and private funders to, the areas of greatest need in family literacy

Why Family Literacy?

“Parent-child literacy activities in the home, such as helping children to recognize letters, reading to children or assisting children with reading and writing assignments, have been found to improve children’s language skills and heighten their interest in books.”

All About Families, Facts & Figures from the National Center for Family Literacy Research Department, Issue 2, January 27, 2003

What Do Children Gain?“Children who were read to three or more times in the last week by a family member were more likely to recognize all letters of the alphabet, count to 20 or higher, or to write their own names, than children read to less frequently.”

“ Kindergarteners who mothers have more education are more likely to score in the highest quartile in reading, mathematics, and general knowledge.”

All About Families, Facts and Figures from the National Center for Family Literacy Research Department, January 2003

What Do Parents Gain?• Skills essential to taking full advantage of the many

cultural, educational, employment, health care, and housing opportunities available in New York City.

• Exposure to new formal and informal learning experiences they can share with their children, strengthening parent/child relationships.

• Increased ability to navigate the school system, and become better advocates for their children within it

• Opportunity to join other families in formal and informal learning experiences; and to participate more fully in a multilingual/multicultural environment

More Gains for FamiliesAdult and parent education helps parents to provide a more economically stable environment for their children.

Family Literacy programs provide parents with knowledge of how to support their children’s learning and capitalize on their role of “child’s first teacher”.

Goodling Institute for Reesarch in Family Literacy, Grinder, Kassag, Askov, & Abler, 2004

Elements of Family Literacy Present in Reach

out and Read• Parent Education• Children’s Education• Parent and Child Interactive

Literacy• Adult Education

(All elements of a comprehensive family literacy program)

Reach Out and Read’s Special Position

• Reach families that may not be able to take advantage of more intensive services

• Outreach to families that might not know about other family literacy services

• A special voice of authority that speaks to the need to develop children’s literacy before school

• Providing community-wide support for families

Connecting to Family Literacy Programs in the

Community• Use the online searchable directory

to find programs in your community• Make referrals• Attend Literacy Assistance Center

networking session• Learn more about how to promote

literacy learning for children and adults

Family Literacy ResourcesGoodling Institute for Research in Family Literacyhttp://www.ed.psu.edu/goodlinginstitute/  The National Center for Family Literacyhttp://www.famlit.org/ The National Even Start Associationhttp://www.evenstart.org/ The National Institute for Literacyhttp://www.nifl.gov/