Parent Education Goals and Features

Parent education in family literacy programs provides opportunities for parents (or children's primary caregivers) to discover their own strengths; to enhance their parenting skills and life competencies; and to learn more about children's cognitive, literacy and developmental growth. Parent education can take place at home during home visits, as well as in a group setting in family literacy program centers. When parent education occurs in a group setting, it also provides opportunities for bonding with other parents for support and friendship.

Parent education is designed to help parents learn how to improve their skills in being the primary teacher for their children, and to help parents learn how to become full partners in the education of their children.

Although it is important for family literacy staff to respect the cultural differences of the families they serve, it also is important that parents learn how to interact with school personnel in their children's schools. For example, in the U.S., school personnel expect parents to be involved with their children's education and to be full educational partners with their children. In many cultures, however, children's education is viewed as the responsibility of the teacher—not the parents.

Attitudes toward teachers and schools, as well as beliefs about parenting, may be different among individuals from various cultures. Consequently, teachers need to be explicit when teaching parents about school expectations and parents' roles in enhancing their children's literacy development.

Although foreign-born parents want to support their children's learning, their expectations about the role of schools and teachers will affect how involved they become in their child's education.

Immigrant families differ in the characteristics of the primary caregiver, the number of adults in the home, and the availability of stable or temporary housing. Therefore, it is important to know something about the families in the program and the differences within cultures surrounding the parent's role. It is also important to focus on what parents will need to know to support their children's success in the American educational system.

How Parents Help Support the Language and Literacy Development of Children

Many studies have shown a link between parental involvement and a child's success in school. Children whose parents are involved in their school not only have better grades, but also have fewer behavioral problems and are more sociable (National Center for Family Literacy, 2003).

The research-based suggestions in Figure III-1 provide information on how parents can strengthen their children's language and literacy development. These can be discussed during parent education sessions, either in the parents' native language or in English. The important thing is to encourage parents to support their child's learning regardless of the language used.