Intergenerational Literacy Programs: Rationale, Description, and Effectiveness

Home Literacy Environments and Young Hispanic Children's English and Spanish Oral Language

“…Research with Mexican American families specifically has shown an expressed preference for extended social networks in which important others (e.g., grandparents, other adults) form clusters of social relations that transmit knowledge, skills, information, norms, and values. This finding was also consistent with the growing body of research on intergenerational literacy programming, which seeks to involve the whole family by targeting adult caretaker strengths as a means of facilitating literacy of children in families (Daisey, 1991;Darling, 1992).…”

Home and family influences on motivations for reading

“…Storybook reading provides children with an opportunity to have a warm, positive interaction with their parents, often with comforting physical contact (Wigfield & Asher, 1984). Children likely will come to view reading favorably if they associate literacy experiences with enjoyable interactions (Daisey, 1991;Wigfield & Asher, 1984). Positive affect during storybook reading serves not only to create an anxiety-free experience and a positive emotional response to subsequent reading experiences, it also may made1 to children how to become interested and engaged in a text (Bettelheim & SZlan, 1982).…”

Metacognitive Aspects of Adult Literacy

“…The value of intergenerational literature programs is exemplified by Even Start, which is designed to empower parents to improve the literacy of their families. As Daisey (1991) pointed out, intergenerational literacy programs shift the focus for treating illiteracy from emphasizing the individual problem to promoting the strengths of family members to help one another acquire literacy. Shared reading activities and positive motivation are key elements to these programs.…”