Open Collections

Wilson, Patricia

Families have such an important role to play in supporting and influencing their children's learning. The activities in which families are involved, and the environments that families create together are very meaningful and significant. For parents of children enrolled in Early French Immersion who have limited or no experience with the language of instruction, previously assumed roles may help to create a sense of anxiety and concern as to how they will be able to help their child be successful. The focus of this paper is to explore how the classroom teacher can help support the role of parents of young children with their second language and literacy learning. One very important way to do this is to invite families into the "community of learners" (Rogoff, 1994, p. 209) that is the Kindergarten classLiteracy, and explores features of effective Family Literacy programs, focusing on three models of family involvement from around the world : Parents as Literacy Supporters, an Urban First-Grade literacy Program, and Reggio Emilia. Themes that are discussed include building trusting, collaborative and reciprocal relations, developing awareness of the multiple pathways to literacy, respecting families as "funds of knowledge" (Moll, Amanti, Neff & Gonzalez, 1992, p. 133) using a child's first language as a purposeful resource in learning an additional language, and encouraging investment in the "Imagined Community" (Norton, 2010). The story of a family literacy program developed in a French Immersion Kindergarten context - "Jouons" - is shared, and practical suggestions and recommendations are made.

Text

University of British Columbia. LLED 590

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0078059

Education, Faculty of; Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of

Graduate

DSpace