What is family literacy?
The term “family literacy”was first coined by Denny Taylor in her 1983 study which explored the social context of the home as a key factor in the literacy development of young children. Neither in the initiatives and studies that predate Taylor’s work, nor in the broad range of family literacy activities that have taken place since, is there a single, commonly-accepted definition of what the term means. It has been used to indicate:

1. interest in the way literacy is used within families,
2. the study of relationships between literacy use in families and children’s academic achievement, and
3. the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs to facilitate the literacy development of families (Tracey, 1995, p. 281).

Many definitions of family literacy have been suggested during the fifteen years that have passed since Taylor’s (1983) study was published (Morrow & Paratore, 1993; Taylor, 1997). The variety evident in these definitions mirrors the diversity of programs and activities that take place in order to match the diverse cultural contexts of the families who participate. Two common terms are frequently encountered.

Family literacy refers to the many ways families develop and use literacy skills to accomplish day-to-day tasks and activities. Examples of family literacy might include writing a note to a child’s teacher, sharing a bedtime story, making shopping lists, and using a recipe. As well, adult reading and writing for different purposes at home, and literacy-related adult discussions typify family literacy, where adults may be literacy role models in the home (Barton, 1997).

Family literacy intervention refers to a broad spectrum of initiatives which recognize the influence of the family on the literacy development of family members and try to support families in literacy activity and in accessing literacy resources. There are many types of family literacy projects; a few examples include storytelling or reading circles, parenting sessions with shared reading, homework clubs where parents participate, adult education using family experiences or children’s literature, and book bags for parents and babies.

References to family in definitions of family literacy usually assume some essential aspects which relate to the structure, function, and development of the family unit (Bailey & Simeonsson, 1988). Structure of the family refers to relationships among family members and the extent to which those relationships determine how the family deals with daily tasks. Socio-cultural influences in the last two decades have significantly altered our views of what families should “look like.”Today, there are many combinations of caregivers and children and it is likely that many children will live in more than one type of family before reaching adulthood (Canadian Council on Social Development, 1997).