2. Literacy Center of West Michigan
Colleen Alles,
Head Start for Kent County partnerships
Shay Kraley,
Grand Rapids Public Schools & Godwin Heights
partnerships
Adult Tutoring Family
Literacy
Community
Literacy
Initiative
Customized
Workplace
English
Iglesias de
Esperanza
One-on-one
tutoring for adults
in language skills.
Occurs weekly at
local libraries.
Partnerships with
Head Start and
schools.
Coalition uniting
agencies to
improve literacy
for all ages.
Group classes and
business services
for adults in
language and
employability.
Language
instruction to
Spanish-speaking
churches and
clergy.
3. The Impact of Adult Low Literacy
Thinking globally
*Statistics collated by Project Read
4. The Impact of Adult Low Literacy
Thinking nationally
5. The Impact of Adult Low Literacy
Thinking locally:
21% of adults in Grand
Rapids are low literate.
14% of adults in Kent
County are low literate.
6. The Impact on the Family
• According to the NCFL, low family income and a
mother’s lack of education are the two biggest
risk factors that hamper a child’s early learning
and development.
7. The Impact on the Family
• If a third-grader is not reading at grade-level by
the end of third grade, they are at risk of:
• Remaining poor readers through high school
• Having low self-esteem and lack of motivation to
learn
• Dropping out of high school
• Not attending college
Limited education and low literacy are
intergenerational cycles that are
very difficult to break.
8. Parental Engagement is Crucial
• When parents are involved, students have:
• Higher grades, test scores, graduation rates
• Better school attendance
• Increased motivation
• Better self-esteem
• Lower rates of suspension
• Decreased use of drugs and alcohol
• Fewer instances of violent behavior
*National Parent Teacher Association
10. LCWM’s Family Literacy Programs
Partnership
with
GRPS/GHPS
Partnership
with
Head Start Parent
Education
Parent
Time
Children’s
Education
Parent
and Child
Together
(PACT)
Weekly ELL classes at
child’s school
Weekly tutoring in
libraries
Time within the
Family Nights
Provided by
Head Start teachers
Monthly Family Nights
1 hour/week within the
ELL classroom
Provided by classroom
teachers
Monthly Family Nights
11. LCWM’s Family Literacy Programs
Family Literacy – Head Start
2011-12 Achievements
• 90% of all adult learners
made language gains, 100%
of all children made literacy
gains, and 70% of parents
increased involvement with
HS.
• 100% of parents are more
involved in pre-literacy
activities with their children.
Family Literacy –
GRPS/GHPS
2011-12 Achievements
• 79% of all adult learners
made language gains, 61%
of all children met reading
growth targets, and 53% of
parents increased
involvement with schools.
• 78% of parents are more
involved in literacy activities
with their children.
12. Incorporating Family Literacy in
Your Work
Build relationships with parents
Hold recurring family events
Build a family literacy-rich environment
Offer Parent Time
Provide book giveaways
Create family newsletters w/ hands-on family literacy
activities
13. Identifying Low Literate Parents
Gives excuses for not reading:
“I forgot my glasses”
“I don’t have time to read that right now”
Takes a long time or appears confused when given
something to sign or read.
Becomes agitated or anxious when given something
to sign or read.
Asks to take materials home to read or fill out.
Depends on others for reading and writing.
Avoids situations which require reading.
Misses appointments or gets dates and times mixed
up.
14. Working with Low Literate Parents
In printed material:
Use larger, simpler font
Simplify your language
Use bullet points
Highlight important points
Provide support:
Reminder calls
Resources
Remove personal bias
15. Growing Readers in Low Literate
Homes
Teach parents how to:
Share books with their children
Create literacy-rich home environments
Model literate behaviors and incorporate literacy into
daily routines
Access free family resources in the community
Have conversations with their children
Learn about different types of children’s books to use
CAWe are a nonprofit that has been providing reading and ESL instruction to adults since 1986We have won 2 “Best Practice” awards from the State of Michigan, and in 2009, we were featured on ABC World NewsWe have 5 programs:Adult Tutoring, which provides one-on-one instruction to adultsCommunity Literacy Initiative, which is a coalition that brings agencies together to promote literacy, 0 to adultCustomized Workplace English, which provides instruction and employability skills to adultsIglesias de Esperanza (Churches of Hope), which provides ESL instruction and oversight within the faith-based community
CA
CA
CA
SK How does adult low literacy impact the entire family?According to CLI’s Literacy Report:“For children who were poor for at least a year and were not reading proficiently in third grade, the proportion that did not finish HS was 26%--which was more than six times the rate for all proficient readers.”“Children who live in poverty often do not have access to…high quality childcare or early education…Many are lacking the developmental skills needed for successful learning once they enter school.
SK “Reading at grade level by the end of third grade is therefore critical…in order to promote literacy, there are several supports a child may need, such as: early readiness programs, out of school time programs, community initiatives, and parental engagement.”According to CLI’s Literacy Report, approximately 1 in 3 third-grade students are not reading at grade level
SK
SKLow literate parents who don’t know how to get involved in their children’s education get trapped in these cyclesDiscuss how this is the solution Parent Education – connect to the fact that the mother’s lack of education is one of the biggest risk factors that hamper a child’s learningParent Time – connect to the fact that parent engagement is so important
SK
SK – SK MAKE EDITS, IF NEEDEDIf we switch to 2012-13 Achievements, use these for CB:69% of adults96% of children75% with HS83% increased involvement in prelit
SK You don’t have to follow the NCFL model to integrate FL into your school.“Offer Parent Time” – have parents pick the topics“Provide book giveaways” – can your agency host a book drive?
CA
CA
SKWe know that low literacy is cyclical and intergenerationalAs supported by NCFL research, the number one indicator of a child’s success in school is the education level of the parents.
