Abstract
The aim of this book is to offer insights for those who wish to nurture families’ capabilities in ways that enable them to flourish, through family literacy programs. It spans the history and practice of family literacy in an accessible and erudite manner through 14 chapters divided into 5 sections. The sections are: (1) introduction and literacy foundations; (2) family literacy and diversity; (3) family literacy in practice; (4) family literacy: focused topics; (5) conclusion. Each chapter includes several activities to help readers reflect on and apply ideas from the text, along with a short list of suggested readings to aid deeper exploration.
Throughout the book terms are carefully defined, underpinning theories are explained, and case studies are provided that illuminate the implications for practice in a diverse world. The authors’ theoretical stance is rooted in the understanding that literacy is a social and cultural practice and so they discuss variations in how families around the world use literacies and how programs (and families) are configured. Using this perspective leads them to emphasize the importance of recognizing and creating multiple pathways to learning and practicing literacy in ways that highlight family strengths. This means that the book makes an important contribution to adult education by countering deficit views of minoritized children, families, and communities through critiquing the dominant Eurocentric, middle class perspectives and values that pervade some family literacy programs.
Another useful contribution to understanding family literacy comes from Section 4 of the book. Here the authors discuss topics that are important but have not been widely explored. These topics are: fathers’ engagement in family literacy (chapter 9); the role of other family members such as grandparents and siblings as literacy mediators (10); digital family literacies (11); family–school relationships and parental engagement in schools (12); and the increased emphasis on accountability and employment in family literacy programs (13). Each chapter draws on international research to show what is already known about the topic and explores important issues such as the implicit assumption that family literacy only involves mothers and so ignores the contributions made by fathers, grandparents, and siblings in supporting literacy development.
I found the chapter (11) on digital literacies particularly helpful because the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed family learning programs to move to on-line learning and many practitioners have found this challenging. It examines how families use digital literacies in their homes and points out that “digital texts (particularly storybook apps) are altering children's expectations of storybooks and reading” (p. 166) through involving them in creative multimodal practices. The authors then argue that “educational programs can incorporate these home literacies into the classroom to enhance motivation, engagement, and learning, while also helping families critically examine the messages embedded in popular culture materials” (p. 185). This illustrates the authors’ approach of drawing on research based on “naturalistic” home practices to show how these home literacies can be used to bridge to school learning in ways that enhance both contexts.
I recommend the book to researchers, students, and practitioners as all will find it useful. For researchers the careful examination of the theories and perspectives underpinning family literacy (chapter 2) and the chapters on Race, Ethnicity, and Culture (6) and social class (7) will be particularly helpful as these bring together a wide range of literature that enable us to see how dimensions of difference are embedded in understandings of culture. For students the succinct definitions of key terms (particularly in chapter 1) and the provision of conceptual tools, especially those that help us understand families’ racial identities and cultural practices (chapter 5), together with the recommended readings add up to a rigorous base of scholarship from which to understand family literacy. For practitioners the examples of what happens “naturally” in families’ homes together with the chapters on family literacy in practice, including diverse models and practice settings (7), and characteristics and examples of successful programs (8) will enable them to identify culturally appropriate practice that builds the strengths that parents or family members bring.
I found this book challenged my own thinking through its emphasis on understanding the literacy practices used in the home and then drawing on these insights to provide more culturally appropriate family literacy programs. It also confirmed my own understanding of the importance of respecting the knowledge and experience that families have and avoiding deficit thinking. Throughout the book the attention to structural inequalities and how they are experienced by people of color and lower-income families is an important reminder that education is not neutral and that we all have a responsibility to “equip families to flourish” (p. 222).