Why Can’t Johnny Read
After 40 Years
Can Family Literacy be the Answer?
Gaye Horne
© Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
April 2011
What Comes First the
Chicken or the Egg?
• What does a newcomer need to know?
• How does a refugee and immigrant
survive?
Survey:
April 2011
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Survey (T or F)
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It costs 70 million dollars every year in medical costs because of
illiteracy
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75 % of Fortune 500 companies offer remedial skills
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Nearly 1/2 of America’s adults are poor readers, or “functionally
illiterate” Meaning they can’t carry out simple tasks like balancing
check books, reading drug labels or writing a letter of applications
– 46% of American adults cannot understand the label on their
prescription medicine.
– It is estimated that the cost of illiteracy to business and the taxpayer
is $20 billion per year.
April 2011
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300,000,000 Americans
• 21 million Americans can't read at all, 45 million are marginally
illiterate and one-fifth of high school graduates can't read their
diplomas.
• In a class of 20 students, few if any teachers can find even 5
minutes of time in a day to devote to reading with each student.
• 60 percent of America's prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of
all juvenile offenders have reading problems.
• 44 million adults in the U.S. can't read well enough to read a
simple story to a child.
April 2011
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Our Inheritance
4 Things a person needs to be successful:
1-Confidence
2-Belonging
3-Identity
4-Purpose
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Literacy is inherited from parents
Illiteracy is passed to children from parents who cannot ready or write
April 2011
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Goal Setting
To improve parent's skills and attitudes
toward education.
To improve children's learning skills.
To improve parent's childcare skills.
To unite parent and children in a positive
educational experience.
April 2011
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Unseen Outcomes
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Bonding
Communication
Joy & Happiness
HOPE
Belonging
Confidence
Identify
Purpose
April 2011
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Music Making Employing
Art
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Story Telling/Making
April 2011
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Elements of Family Literacy
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Adult Class
Parenting Class
Early Childhood Class
Parent & Child Together Time
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What to Consider in an
Adult Education Class
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Competency
Objective
Pre-skills
Time Required
Materials
Lesson Direction
Activity
Evaluations
Integrations with other components
April 2011
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What to Consider in a
Parenting Class
• Parenting Class
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Objective/focus
Materials/time
Motivational Activity
New Information
Discussion/questions
Practice/application
Integrations with other components
April 2011
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What to Consider in an
Early Childhood Class
• Children’s Class
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Time
Focus
Experience/Developmental Objective
Materials
Observations/assessment
How does this work with the other components
April 2011
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What to Consider for
Parents Teaching Children
• Parent and Children Together
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Focus
Materials
Time
Activity (Circle, pairs)
Transfer to home
How does this integrate
April 2011
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Applying All Components at
Home
• Home Activity
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Lesson Planning
• Finding common theme
– Suggestions from Adult Learners
• Activities that change my life
• Something I can use right away
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