Improving Literacy
through Latino Family
Involvement
By Michelle K. Jensen, Ph.D.
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Federal definition of family literacy
 Interactive literacy activity between parents
and children
 Train parents to be primary teacher to
children and full partner in children’s
education
 Education to increase academic success
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Ecological factors influencing Latino
literacy
 Individual factors
 Family factors
 Classroom factors
 School factors
 Community opportunities
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Why worry about Latino student
literacy?
 Latinos are the fastest growing ethno-cultural group in the U.S.
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today.
Teachers and school staff often unprepared to deal with differing
cultural and linguistic differences.
Latino students often enter school with little preparation and no
knowledge of English.
 Less preschool
 Home language & level of language
Latino students have reduced academic achievement, with the
gap widening at each grade level.
Latino students’ educational outcomes have not improved
significantly in that same timeframe  decreased achievement
and high dropout rates.
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Solution: Increase Latino family
involvement
Outcomes:
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Achievement increases
Attendance increases
Students more likely to complete education
Oral language development accelerates
(younger children)
Meet NCLB and other requirements
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Differences and concerns
Differing value systems
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Education—Latino parents are VERY
interested in their children’s education
Parenting— los niños “bien educados”
Social norms
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Relationship
Respect/formality
Cooperation v. individuality
Home/school responsibilities
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Differences and concerns (cont’d)
Differing values and experiences of literacy and
language
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Level of schooling
Use of language (home literacy activities)
Oral v. print culture (dichos, consejos)
Language in childrearing
Educational differences
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Level
Experience (systemic access, positive v. not)
Expectation (school v. family)
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Elements of successful family literacy
and involvement programs
Address multiple, overlapping contexts:
 Individual factors
 Family factors
 Classroom factors
 School factors
 Community opportunities
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Elements of classroom activities to
increase student literacy
 Relationship—increase achievement, reduce dropout
 Relevance—culture & experience
 Cooperative groupings as a literacy strategy, e.g.
students can read aloud to each other.
 Assignments that require a language component or
task.
 Assignments that require family involvement in
literacy-based activities, e.g. family histories.
 Portfolio-based assessment. Invite Latino parents
(and others) to attend.
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Elements for successful school-wide family
literacy & involvement programming
 Relationship, relationship, relationship!
 Involve Latino parents in assessing their
needs regarding programming.
 Homework education for parents. Parental
involvement in homework--even just
monitoring of homework, can ameliorate the
negative effects of poverty or reduced parent
education.
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Elements for successful school-wide family
literacy & involvement programming (cont’d)
 Engage the entire school community in
supporting Latino family literacy and family
involvement. Staff buy in is critical (at least
70% agreement).
 Foster the expectation that increasing Latino
family literacy improves teaching and learning
for ALL students and teachers.
 Develop a comprehensive plan, with planned
evaluation of efforts to know how your
program is perceived and whether it's
effective.
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Examples of successful and engaging family
literacy & involvement activities
 Promote native language literacy activities.
 Offer a 6-week computer literacy class for families.
Students need to create a family history. Teach
parents (and family members who don't know--kids
might teach parents!) how to use the internet to
conduct research--in English or Spanish. Have them
research several questions together. Take family
digital pictures and students use for project.
 Develop a student and family lending library. Have
books in Spanish and English, including tips and
books for teaching literacy, parenting, etc. Have
community pamphlets and information.
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Examples of successful and engaging family
literacy & involvement activities (cont’d)
 Offer a planning for high school transition and college
seminar for Latino parents. Encourage them to
ensure their child does their homework, knows who
and how to ask for help. Explain grading and
attendance policies, and let them know what kinds of
behaviors they might expect to see in their high
school student.
 Sponsor a Latino student club. Students hold school
assembly and evening family event, presenting
educational programming (e.g. Latinos in history who
made a difference in U.S.) and entertainment (song,
dance exhibition and family dinner/dance).
 Foster Latino parent networking.
 Coordination of efforts K-12
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Tips for fostering Latino parent
involvement
 Principal involvement /welcome (initial
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meetings—translation if necessary)
Determine “critical” Latino members, ask them to
invite others
Communication: invitation mailed home in hand
addressed envelope (simple bilingual text, large
font, graphics), local Spanish radio,
church/community organizations (e.g. WIC)
Informal initial gatherings to build trust &
community ethos
Food & childcare
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Some additional resources
 “Tips for Parents” in Spanish and English: Social
Advocates for Youth has an online tips for parents. To view
the parent tips, visit:
http://www.saysandiego.org/parentinfo.htm
 Becoming a Community School: A Step-by-Step Guide to
Bridging the School-Family Gap. Includes strategies,
programs, action guide and sample resources. Available
at http://www.psinnovation.org/PSI/btft11.html
 National Center for Family Literacy
http://www.famlit.org/index.cfm
 “Un futuro brillante empieza en un libro” (A brilliant future
begins with a book), Spanish family literacy initiative
website for families (www.rif.org/leer) including resrouces,
PSAs and parent video
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 Immigrant resource guides: Very helpful guides for
professionals and for professionals to share with parents.
http://www.yale.edu/21c/imresources.html
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The purpose of education
is to turn mirrors into
windows.
--S. Harris--
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