Family literacy program models may be classified into five different types or categories.
| Type of Program | Description |
|---|---|
| Intergenerational | Early Childhood Education (ECE) supports the development of emergent literacy in children, while separate programming for parents focuses on family literacy, parenting skills, and/or adult literacy and upgrading. Structured time known as PACT (Parents And Children Together), gives parents opportunities to practise the skills and strategies they have learned. Examples of this type of program are Parenting for Literate Community and From Lullabies to Literacy. |
| Focus on Parents | Parents participate in workshop-style training that helps them to support the development of children’s literacy skills at home. Some programs help parents develop effective reading strategies and encourage them to read to children at home; others include topics such as how children learn through dramatic play, developing children’s self-esteem, and developmental stages. An example of this type of program is PRINTS. |
| Children and Parents Together | Parents and pre-school children participate in sessions together where they engage in language and literacy-related activities such as rhymes, songs, and storytelling. The emphasis is on enjoyment. The objective is to increase parental awareness and involvement in child literacy development. An example of this type of program is the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program. |
| Distribution of Family Literacy Resources | Community volunteers and/or staff of literacy or family support organizations develop and distribute literacy resources to families. These “family literacy kits” can include children’s books, games, craft activities and materials, and information for parents on how to use the kit at home. Examples of this type of program are RAPP and Storysacks. |
| Activities for the General Public | These programs focus on building community awareness about the importance of family literacy and/or on informal participation for literacy enjoyment. There is no direct training or instruction. |