Children'S Literacy Development: Making It Happen Through School, Family, And Community Involvement

Children'S Literacy Development: Making It Happen Through School, Family, And Community Involvement

Written in an eloquent and practical style, renown author and recognized national authority on family literacy, Patricia Edwards has carefully selected skills, strategies, and examples of family involvement that will empower educators to successfully implement family involvement initiatives. A timely publication on today's political climate with federal monies going into family literacy, Edwards has deliberately and painstakingly chosen research-based, school-tested ideas as the focus of this book. From the Back CoverWritten in an eloquent and practical style, renowned author and recognized national authority on family literacy, Patricia Edwards has carefully selected skills, strategies, and examples of family involvement that will empower educators to successfully implement family involvement initiatives. Patricia Edwards has culled out a critical path for educators to follow and helps them understand how to work with a wide-range of families. She fosters the confidence necessary to become partners with your students' first teachers?their families. Features Action steps for improving family-school partnership are outlined in Chapter 6, providing a scope and sequence of activities centered around the curriculum at each grade level that help parents to understand what kinds of things they can do to support their children's literacy development.Presents a brief historical account of how family involvement was viewed in American culture. Discusses minority family needs (Ch. 3). Autobiographies, developing family stories, and parenting stories of early literacy help prepare teachers for real-life work with families (Ch. 4). ?Chapter Goals for the Reader? summaries, ?Introductory Scenarios,? ?Chapter Overviews,? and ?Chapter Outlines? in each chapter establish the context of the chapter and help focus students learning. Unique! ?Pause and Reflect Activities? presenting problems, questions, or issues for student reflection encourage active problem solving. ? Suggestions for Thought Questions and Activities? in each chapter quiz the student's understanding of chapter content, while ?Internet Activities? at the end of each chapter direct students to Internet information on specific topics/issues related to family involvement. ?For Further Reading? sections enable students to explore selected ideas on their own in greater depth and encourages students to integrate their knowledge of diverse family populations and the needs of their specific school setting to develop their own creative involvement initiatives. Glossary at the end of the book includes key terms used in the book. Appendices A through V list material students can use in thinking about and carrying out their own family-school partnerships. ?Children's Literacy Development: Making it Happen Through School, Family, and Community Involvement addresses a critical issue facing schools today. A text which can move educators forward in our thinking and practice in regard to parental involvement would be a welcomed addition to the field of education and educational reform.? Andres J. Versage Monte Vista Elementary School-California ?In a time of quick fixes for complex challenges, Patricia Edwards draws on her personal experiences, professional history, and down-to-earth wisdom to probe that deceptively simple phrase ?family involvement?...Edwards provides educators with the knowledge and know-how to get to know their partners in education, the families of their students...As educators, we are in her debt.? Anne Haas Dyson Professor, Michigan State University ?Patricia Edwards