Chapter 4: Parent-Child Literacy Projects

“We now read 30–40 minutes each night.”

“My son reads the stories to me from his new take home books every day.”

“I read more often with my daughter and I sit down with her as directed by the teacher to do her homework.”

“I gave my daughter a journal so when she reads a book she can write about what happens and also she can write down words that she learned from the book.”

These quotes from parents illustrate what can happen at home when parents and teachers communicate and collaborate around students’ literacy development. The students involved attended urban schools participating in the ReadBoston Family Literacy Project described later in this chapter. This chapter reviews model K-12 parent-child literacy programs and projects that can be implemented and sustained by teachers, administrators, and school districts without long-term support from external agencies or organizations. The projects are located in various geographic areas of the country and serve a diversity of students and parents. The intent of this chapter is not to provide a comprehensive review of parent-child literacy projects, but rather to present the broad range of actions teachers and administrators can take to involve families in their children’s literacy development.