Literacy Starts with the Family... And That Means Dads Too

The impact of the connection between family literacy and fathers is powerful. Whether dads read bedtime stories, talk about the sports page, make a grocery list, write a child’s name, or explain the directions for a toy, they are presenting opportunities for their children to develop language and literacy skills. They are raising future writers and readers—and future writers and readers are future leaders (Darling 2004).

What are Family Literacy Services?
Head Start and Early Head Start programs are committed to helping parents, including fathers, contribute to their children’s learning. Family literacy services are one way that programs can help parents. By focusing on the literacy of moms, dads, and their children at the same time, family literacy services are an effective way to help parents get involved in their children’s literacy development.

Family literacy services are mandated by the Head Start Act of 1998 and identified specifically in 1304.40(e)(4)(i)&(ii) of the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Elements of family literacy can be seen throughout the Program Performance Standards because the philosophies of Head Start and family literacy are so similar. They both recognize that the family is the child’s first teacher, provide support services to families, and encourage parent involvement. Family literacy services also impact the entire range of child outcomes described in the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, such as language development and building positive approaches to learning.

For the last five years, the Head Start Bureau has partnered with the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), headquartered in Louisville, KY. The Center has provided training and technical assistance professional development and other resources to support the legislative requirements and the implementation of the Program Performance Standards pertaining to family literacy.

Family literacy services are multifocused and inter-related. They reach out to children, parents, and staff. The services include:

• parenting education for all family members
• child development information for program staff
• parenting education for all family members


• child development information for program staff
• parent-child activities and learning experiences
• adult education at all levels

These services may be delivered directly through a Head Start or Early Head Start program or in collaboration with community partners.

Setting Goals
A child’s entrance into Head Start or Early Head Start and the accompanying family partnership agreement process provide opportunities for moms and dads to explore goals for themselves and their children. Whether fathers are residential or not, they are meant to be included in this goal-setting process.

Many fathers (like mothers) identify goals related to being better parents. What does that mean exactly? It means different things to different fathers. Some dads might express a desire to complete their education, while others talk about wanting to find a job or a better job. Still others might wonder whether their children will have all the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

Consistently, fathers express concern for the healthy development of their children and recognize their own role in fostering development.

Reaching These Goals
To help the dads attain their goal of being better parents, program staff might link them with family literacy services, such as a parent education program. The topics covered might include the important roles fathers play in their children’s development and the importance of interactive literacy activities between fathers and their children. Above all, these learning opportunities are designed to support the father-child relationship and involve fathers in their children’s lives.

Program staff often motivate fathers to recognize that they can do better for their children by improving their own education and literacy through adult education. Numerous family literacy services, such as ESL (English as a Second Language) classes and GED (General Equivalency Diploma) courses, are available to support the dads. Father involvement projects in Head Start and Early Head Start may offer job training so dads can develop marketable skills. As fathers attain a higher educational level or secure better jobs, they often feel more confident about their parenting abilities too.

Supporting Dads and Children’s Literacy
Programs have developed different approaches for targeting dads’ involvement in children’s literacy. Some Head Start and Early Head Start programs have provided formal training focused on teaching dads useful techniques for book-reading and discussion with their young children (see pages 53-54 about Vermont Center for the Book). Others have organized on-going fathers’ support groups where fathers and mentors discuss a range of issues, including involvement in children’s lives and supporting their language and literacy development.

To ensure that there are no “bookless” homes in Head Start, programs have planned a variety of activities to include moms and dads, such as—

• creating lending libraries
• sponsoring library days for parents and children
• arranging trips to bookstores where parents participate in demonstrations on how to select books for their children
• sponsoring special “book reading” events for parents and children
• making audio tapes of books so that parents who cannot read can still share the reading experience with their children
• providing language and literacy mentors to read to children and work with parents on enhancing their own ability to read to their children

Family literacy services and other Head Start support services encourage dads to find what works best for them and their children. While some fathers are comfortable reading with their children, others prefer to take walks and discuss what they are seeing or doing.

Still others like to work with their children on “projects.” Everyday routines that dads and children share—such as counting the plates for a meal, wondering if the bath toys will sink or float, or talking about the different colors of clothes in the laundry—also provide learning experiences. Programs also can share strategies with dads that encourage their storytelling without emphasis on the printed English word. Programs can help fathers find their own individual styles of interacting with their children and help them understand that all positive interactions are opportunities for enhancing literacy and language development. (See pages 32-34 on a Family Story Book.)

What all parents need to know, whether they are native English speakers or English language learners, whether they are strong readers or not, is that children develop their love of reading and learning early in life. Parents can inspire and motivate from birth on.

The Success is Real
Many Head Start and Early Head Start programs have successfully involved fathers in their children’s literacy experiences. They all identify the key ingredient: start with the interest expressed by the fathers in their family partnership agreements or in focus groups, surveys, and informal conversations. That is, the programs encourage fathers to identify what and how they want to learn. Then, in conjunction with the family literacy services and fatherhood efforts, the programs are able to develop options that will meet the individual needs of the fathers.By collaborating and working together, trusting relationships develop between dads and Head Start staff, and the community partners who support the family literacy services. The NCFL has been an important partner with Head Start programs.

When asked: “How has family literacy changed how you interact with your child(ren)?”, Head Start fathers have replied:

It has changed the meaning of being a father to my kids.
It has opened the door to spend more time with my children.
It was hard to read stories but now my daughter says read to me and I know that it is quality time.
We change the words to music on the radio. We make silly songs out of just about anything.
My daughter asks me to pick books from my (adult) bookshelves and we spend time reading and talking about them.
I never knew how important I was as a father…I would never want to hurt my child’s success in any way. I am now getting the Pell Grant and I am enrolled in the community college.
I have been more attentive with my children and how I talk to them.

This testimony from Head Start dads speaks to the positive and enduring impact that family literacy can have on the parent-child relationship and on children’s learning.

REFERENCES
Darling, S. 2004. National Center for Family Literacy. www.ncfl.com

Willa C. Siegel is Program Specialist, Education Branch, Head Start Bureau. T: 202-205-4011; E: wsiegel@acf.hhs.gov Barry Gary is Director, Head Start at the NCFL. T: 502-584-1133 ext. 163; E: bgary@famlit.org Jacqueline Davis is a Training Specialist for the NCFL. T: 323-469-4439; E: jdavis@famlit.org.