Assessment and evaluation

Ask yourself how these statements on assessment of participants’ progress apply to your program.

Our family literacy program/agency …

1. has developed a documented initial, ongoing, and exit assessment process. Initial assessment results identify entry needs, strengths, educational backgrounds, previous experiences and goals for each participating family member.
2. assesses the progress of adult participants at regular intervals, noting progress towards the goals and outcomes they have identifi ed for themselves, as well as internal and ongoing changes. Areas of progress may include:
   • self-esteem, self-awareness and self-direction
   • parenting skills and warmth of parent-child interactions
   • understanding of child development related to literacy
   • understanding of and confidence in their role in children’s learning
   • interaction with children using strategies to promote literacy
   • increased literacy activities in the home
   • improved literacy skills according to established benchmarks of success
   • interest in further education or training
   • communication with children’s schools
   • involvement in the community
   • social relationships
   • workplace readiness
   • advocacy for self and for family
3. documents the progress of children in the program according to goals established in consultation with the parents, using appropriate measurement tools and approaches. Assessment includes noting parents’ reports of positive changes in their children in such areas as:
   • self-esteem
   • speech and language development
   • emergent literacy skills including phonemic awareness
   • cognitive development
   • increased vocabulary recognition and use
   • interest in literacy activities
   • engagement in learning activities apart from parents
   • participation in activities involving literacy at home and in the community
4. maintains confidential family files that families can access. Files include samples of their work, evidence of their improvement, and their feedback about the program.
5. has developed forms to gather relevant information in an ongoing way, that indicates a family’s level of participation, comfort and progress, such as forms for documenting:
   • observations of progress by each participant
   • literacy materials borrowed from the program to use at home
   • books that parents read to children during the week
   • self-evaluation and refl ection forms for parents and staff to comment on progress and plans the mid-point and end of sessions
   • home visits (to be completed with or by visiting staff)
   • number and frequency of school contacts
6. provides a summary questionnaire for parents to complete at the end of each session and an exit interview with staff, to document their feedback on all aspects of the program and how it has met a family’s individual needs.
7. involves participating families in discussions around the planning, design and implementation of formal evaluations of the program.