1. Family literacy
Empowering the
Community Conference
John Stewart NALA
jstewart@nala.ie
13 July 2012

2. About NALA
See handout:
 What is NALA?
 Mission and vision
 What we do
 What we mean by adult literacy

3. Educational disadvantage:
Family as community
Parents are the first and most constant educators of
children, so engagement in family literacy
programmes is very important for those who may
not know how to best support their child’s learning.

4. Family literacy is ...
 The uses of literacy and numeracy within
families and communities, especially
activities which involve two or more
generations.
 Education programmes that help to
develop literacy and numeracy learning in
a family context.

5. Current child literacy situation
 30% of primary school children in disadvantaged
areas have severe literacy problems (ERC 2004).
 Two thirds of pupils in most disadvantaged schools
achieved at / below the 20th percentile on
standardised tests …& performance declined as pupils
continued through school (NESF 2008).
 NESF Report on Child Literacy 2009
- a gulf between schools and families,
- intergenerational impact of adult learning.
 Disappointing results from OECD PISA surveys.
 Not just about standards in schools and ECCE
settings.

6. National Policy
 National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy
for Children and Young People, DES 2011
 Embraces parental role and value of
family literacy.
 NALA role in national promotion,
awareness and partnership with adult
literacy providers.

7. NALA role in national strategy
 Develop a website with relevant information for
families to support children’s literacy and
numeracy development.
◊ categorised by a child’s age
◊ links to supports in the community
 Cross platform promotion e.g. TV series
 Ongoing engagement with stakeholders
 Campaign launch 8th September 2012.
International Literacy Day

8. 23rd November 2006

9. Proposed National Early Years
Strategy for Children 0 to 6
 Announced March 6 by Minister Fitzgerald -
Children & Youth Affairs,
 Complete in 2012, including consultation
 Named 5 issues:
- Outcomes linked to National Literacy strategy
- Quality of ECCE
- Health
- Targeted ECCE for disadvantaged children
- Increasing positive parental engagement in ECCE.

10. Aistear, Soilse
support
parental
engagement
23rd November 2006

11. Adult literacy situation
 500,000 Irish adults - 1 in 4 - at lowest of 5 levels
 Over 1 in 2 below OECD threshold level 3. (IALS
1997)
 Second literacy survey PIACC results in October 13
 Intergenerational studies have identified that
disadvantage is predictive with regard to literacy
proficiency of children (Parsons & Bynner, 2008).
 The redress of educational disadvantage requires
an adult component.

12. 23rd November 2006

13. What the research says
 Parental engagement has a positive affect on a
child’s school performance, achievement &
cognitive ability (Fan, X., 2001; Feinstein, L. and Symons, J., 1999; Desforges,
2003; Melhuishi, E., et al, 2001)
 Parental involvement in a child’s learning has
more of an impact on a child’s educational
outcomes than any other demographic measure.
(Feinstein and Symons, 1999; Vorhaus, 2006)
 Children’s performance in reading tests are
affected by their parents’ literacy.
(KPMG, 2006; De Coulon et al, 2008)
 As parents’ skills improve, so do children’s
educational achievements
(Sticht and McDonald; in Schweinhart, 2008)

14. Effects of parents and schools
Achievement Parental School
effects effects
Age 7 0.29 0.05
Age 11 0.27 0.21
Age 16 0.14 0.51
From Sacker et al 2002
Desforges to EFLN conference 2009
http://www.efln.eu/assets/sept09conference/Charles
_Desforges_EFLN_Pres.pdf

15. Family literacy as strategy
 A win-win scenario for parent and child.
 Improves the literacy practices of family members.
 Has a very significant knock on effect on school
performance and achievement of children.
 Supports parents who may not know how to develop their
child's literacy and learning.
 A win-win for policy and practice
 Offers potential opportunities to break inter-generational
cycles of disadvantage.
 Enhances practice.
 Creates learning communities with schools.

16. Family literacy programmes
in your community
 Each VEC Adult Literacy Service has
family literacy programmes.
 Co Clare VEC (training of trainers)
 Co Donegal VEC (Raising ready readers)
 CDVEC (e.g. Story sacks)
 DES fund of €225,000 for DEIS Family
Literacy Initiative.
 Other community examples
 NALA supports on www.nala.ie

17. www.
nala.ie
1st November 2004

18. Supporting Family Literacy
Ideas and Tips for Tutors
including:
•Lesson plans Free
•Resources from
•Activities NALA
•Links to Accreditation
See also
www.writeon.ie
Level 2 and 3 awards
and resources, and RPL

19. www.
nala.ie

20. What the research says 2
 “Good family literacy programmes improve
parents' ability to support their children's
cognitive and non-cognitive development, leading
to long-term educational benefits.” (A Literature Review
Of International Adult Literacy Policy, NALA 2011)
 Based on meta-analytic evidence a 2011 EU
study concluded “all Member States' child literacy
strategies should include a family literacy
component, and that policymakers should more
actively support the widespread proliferation of
family literacy interventions”.
Carpentieri, J., Fairfax-Cholmeley, K., Litster, J., Vorhaus, J. (2011)
Family literacy in Europe: using parental support initiatives to enhance
early literacy development. London: NRDC, Institute of Education

21. Conclusion – key messages
 Literacy is an equality issue with social and economic
causes, effects and solutions. It is not an individual problem.
 Schools cannot resolve literacy / numeracy and educational
disadvantage on their own. Do not expect them to do so.
 Parental engagement is essential in developing a child’s
literacy. Support it actively.
 Family literacy programmes can play a key role in improving
children’s literacy, as well as adult literacy.
 Plan for Family Literacy development.
 Ideally as part of an adult literacy strategy

22. How NALA supports family literacy
 Promotion Freephone 1800 202065
 Research see www.nala.ie
 Resources www.nala.ie
www.writeon.ie
 Practice Annual Family learning event
 Networking

24. 23rd November 2006

25. How you can further support family literacy
 Stay abreast of development, including campaigns
 Become a member of NALA
 Attend NALA family literacy events - 21st November 2012
 Raise awareness of parents and ECCE community
about the value of family / home literacy and
numeracy development.
 Tell parents how they can support their children's
literacy and about supports available.
 Link to local VEC Adult Literacy Services (ALS) /
VEC family literacy programmes

26. NALA Family Learning Research
 Family learning in action: an overview of family learning
programmes 2011
This research provides an overview of family learning in local
communities. Details the benefits of participation to the
families involved. Findings show that participation in family
learning is beneficial to families and has a positive impact on
the relationship between home and school.
 Taking care of family literacy work Dec 2010
An enquiry with parents about their experience of nurturing
language and literacy in the home.

27. Literacy Uses: At Home With Family Learning
• NALA Research 2010 - 41 families from 4 areas
• More common practices in the home included
numeracy (finance), helping children with homework
and intergenerational storytelling.
• Most popular reading and writing activity was texting
• Technology important – not necessarily computers
• Inform family learning development
• Link to report: http://www.nala.ie/research/
home-literacy-study-family-literacy-practices

28. NCCA.IE resources

29. Question ?
 Schools/ ECCE do very well for most children.
 Yet, we have a significant issue with literacy
achievement for children (linked to disadvantage)
and with adult literacy and numeracy levels
 Schools/ECCE can not resolve this issue on their
own.
 Key question is who can schools/ECCE work with,
and how, to impact on literacy standards of
children, particularly from disadvantaged areas.

30. What is NALA?
 Established in 1980.
 Independent membership based charity.
 Membership is open to all adults.
 Funded by the Department of Education
and Skills (DES), with projects funded by
FÁS, HSE, An Post, EBS and MSD.

31. NALA’s mission and vision
 Mission: To be the voice of adult literacy in Ireland
and, with our partners, influence policy and
practice to support people in developing their
literacy.
 Vision: We want Ireland to be a place where adult
literacy is a valued right and where everyone can
both develop their literacy and take part more fully
in society.

32. What we do!
 Advocacy
 Integrating literacy into public education and training;
 Flexible learning opportunities
 Family literacy
 PIAAC
 Campaign – National Literacy & Numeracy strategy, An
Post TV ads and TV series
 Practice – Distance Learning Service www.writeon.ie,
curriculum, resources.
 Research – e.g. Policy, Family.
PIAAC = Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies

33. Definition of literacy
 Literacy involves:
 listening and speaking,
 reading,
 writing,
 numeracy, and
 using everyday technology to communicate and handle
information.
 It includes more than the technical skills of
communication (reading, writing and maths): it also
has personal, social and economic dimensions.

34. Adult literacy tuition in Ireland
 In 2011, 55,000 Irish adults attended literacy
classes through the 33 Vocational Education
Committees (VECs) Adult Literacy Services (ALS)
nationwide.
 Every VEC ALS has a family literacy programme.
 Literacy development happens in other settings
and programmes, for example Childcare courses.

35. NALA’s Distance Learning Service
 Providing a quality Distance Learning
Service for adults to improve literacy and
numeracy skills in the privacy of their
homes, library or local community setting.
 Our current service comprises of:
 TV series since 2000
 Freephone tutor support line: 1800 20 20 65
 Printed materials and DVDs and CDs
 Interactive learning website – www.writeon.ie –
offering FETAC Level 2 and 3 awards, includes RPL

37. Is education a silver spoon for all?
 “Equality of opportunity...requires only
the removal of social barriers and silver
spoons that prevent people from
competing on level terms with those
constituted like them.”
(Swift, Justice, Luck, and the Family 2005)

38. Further information
NALA
http://facebook.com/nalaireland
Sandford Lodge
Sandford Close
Ranelagh
Dublin 6
http://twitter.com/nalaireland
Tel: (01) 412 7900
Website: www.nala.ie
Plain English website: www.simplyput.ie