Family Literacy Philosophy
After working in the field of family literacy for nine years through public libraries, schools, community-based organizations, and particularly through the Regina Family Literacy Network, I have been asked ‘What is family literacy?’ many, many times. This is the definition that I have given.
Though there are many formal definitions, the general consensus is that family literacy is the passing of information from one person to another to help promote a family’s intellectual, educational, social, emotional and spiritual growth:
• Intellectual growth refers to the every day learning that takes place outside of a formal educational institution, such as talking about the child’s day at the kitchen table, learning about the safe and not safe areas in the community, and counting how many legs are on a spider during a field trip.
• Educational growth refers to the formal learning of ABC’s, 123’s, grammar, algebra, etc.
• Social growth refers the building of relationships within the family and society, such as getting along on the playground, respecting the elders in the community, etc.
• Emotional growth refers to building communication skills and discussing feelings.
• Spiritual growth refers to morals, values and traditions within the family.
Family Literacy encompasses the whole family; parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and beloved friends. Family literacy takes place when a trusted adult spends time with a child to enhance each others skills, knowledge and experience. It can be:
• the oral tradition of sharing history and stories between an elder or grandparent and a child;
• a mother and her child building block towers together;
• following a recipe by an uncle and his nephew; and/or
• the sharing of a story book between siblings.
Therefore, family literacy has the potential to be an intricate tool in the growth of the family.
Top 5 Family Literacy Tips
1. Share stories of your experiences and family history.
2. Read signs together.
3. Follow a recipe or instructions together.
4. Talk about what is happening in their lives, what their watching on television, what they are reading, etc.
5. Model strong reading habits, even if it is reading the newspaper after supper; and encourage all forms of reading – including comics and magazines.
Top 10 Tips for Reading to Your Child
1. Find a regular time for reading: bedtime, naptime, after meals.
2. Let your child choose the book. It’s okay if they are selecting the same book over and over. Children learn through repetition.
3. Turn off the radio and television.
4. Start with short sessions. If your child gets fussy or bored, shorten the story, change books, or take a break.
5. Sit close together while reading and let your child turn the page.
6. Read with expression in your voice. Do actions or repeat words or lines.
7. Use pictures to tell the story. Ask: What do you see? What do you think will happen next?
8. Try different things: paired reading, take turns reading, name objects or find things in pictures.
9. After reading, discuss your child’s experiences and compare them to the story.
10. Ask your child what he/she liked or disliked about the story.
For more information and support in family literacy, please contact:
Hilary Dahnke, Executive Director
Regina Family Literacy Network Inc.
735 Victoria Ave.
Regina, SK S4N 0R4
Phone: 306-352-7323
Email: reginafamily@sasktel.net
Website: www.rfln.ca
Return to main page.
