The findings of the study serve to heighten the reader's understanding of literacy skills and early schooling, family influences on literacy development, the impact of adult life experiences, and the organization of literacy education in general. Conclusions generated in response to the three research questions that drove the inquiry are followed by recommendations for practice and implications for public policy. Areas for new and expanded research directions that emerged in this study are then put forth.

Summary of the Research

Through this qualitative case study, the following research questions were posed:

1. How do family literacy practices and events unfold in these low-income homes?
2. How is literacy embedded in families' social practices and relationships between schools and homes?
3. What conditions and factors within the family contribute to family literacy and the enculturation of children into these practices?

In order to answer these questions, my research plan included the following processes: (a) define the study through a review of related literature; (b) conduct a pilot study; (c) gain entry to the selected research site and consent of participants; (d) gather data; (e) analyze the data collected; and (f) formulate conclusions and recommendations.