Early reading experiences in the home prepare children for normal literacy instruction when they enter school. Most practitioners and researchers support the need for educational initiatives for increasing parents’ involvement in early literacy. However, there is less of a consensus about how to develop family literacy models for Latino families. Existing literature suggests that deficit-based theories have historically shaped many programs geared toward Latino families. As an alternative, the authors propose a sociocultural framework for family literacy programs. The model includes participants’ cultural, linguistic, and social experiences, and respects family dynamics, ways of knowing, and perceptions of how literacy functions in life in real and meaningful ways. Recommendations are offered for developing programs to help parents and educators recognize and broaden the role of families in their children’s learning and establish home-school relationships based on mutual respect and trust. – Publisher’s description
