Voices From the Heart (Paperback)

This case study research sought to examine family literacy through a detailed description of the nature of family literacy in one low-income community; to contribute to the knowledge base regarding circumstances that facilitate or impede literacy and to offer a new model to help understand the complex nature of family literacy. The participants were chosen by purposive sampling. They included parents and children in eight low- income New Brunswick families; and the principal, resource room teacher and three classroom teachers at the school attended by the children. Data were collected at the homes of the families and at the school the children attended. The findings add to the research base for family literacy and are based on a broad definition of literacy as "a vehicle for communication and learning and for people to gain greater control of their lives," show the "multifaceted aspect of family literacy and the danger in using a deficit model and generalizing about the literacy needs of low-income families," and offer "An Interactive Model for Family Literacy" to inform practice and further research.