Various studies and program models (e.g., Learning Together) demonstrate that it is difficult to get parents with lower levels of education to participate in family literacy programs. Some exceptions to this rule were found, notably in the projects QualiFLY and PEFaL.
This matter merits consideration. In French Canada, three qualitative studies have been done on the skills and a description of parents with low literacy levels (Bittar et aI., 2005; Drolet et al. 2001; Garnier, 2004). The authors of these studies observe that all the parents have a positive attitude to education and want to exert a positive influence on their child's academic development. Nevertheless, few parents with weak reading skills do reading and writing activities at home. Homework sessions can be challenging for some parents because of the child's lack of interest and the parents' lack of confidence and fear of making mistakes or of being corrected by their child. According to Drolet et al. (2001),some parents have difficulty communicating with school staff; they point out that parents who follow a family literacy program feel more capable of helping their child in his studies than those who don't, and they are also more likely to go back to school for further education.
The Coalition francophone' research indicates that recruitment constitutes a major challenge in a number of communities. Because each program is carried out in a specific place, it is important to determine the most effective means of recruiting families in that place. The Lire et écrire a la maison model is successful in this regard. The fact that the activities take place in a school and that the school board and the school administration participate actively in promoting the program makes recruitment easier.
Research consistently confirms that fathers do not often participate in family literacy programs. This was also the case for the participants' involved in the Coalition francophone's research.
Ortiz. et al. (1999) make the following recommendations