Towards a Developing Framework of Family Literacy

Introduction

When I look at the complex nature of family literacy in low-income homes, I draw upon the philosophic and research approach of critical theorists, but also touch on feminist and postmodernist research genres, particularly when examining issues of power and voice. A framework may be useful for breaking down not only the sociocultural issues and the significant role played by politics and economics in understanding family literacy, but also in situating individual factors. A broad conceptualization of family literacy learning contributes to an understanding of ongoing and life-long experience for both children and adults. My developing framework of family literacy, illustrated in Figure 2 on the following page, was created as a result of my literature review.

Individual

As shown in Figure 2, the individual is represented by the circle in the top left. Personal attitudes and values are shaped by the society in which a person lives. For example, if the individual has a positive attitude about literacy and learning and values and feels supported by those around, he or she may feel more confident in his or her abilities. The person may be more goal-directed and more likely to accomplish his or her goals than someone who lacks this support.

Beliefs, including factors such as whether or not an individual feels capable of learning, along with the source of the motivation, are factors to consider with the individual. Children who feel they have some control over what happens to them will be more self-motivated in potential learning situations. Conversely, those who feel that outside forces have full control will require an external motivator to push them to act. The skills and talents of individuals develop from having opportunities to be active participants in literacy activities.