Family Literacy Programs Continue to Prove EffectiveApril 28, 2008 |
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 At First 5 LA we believe in learning from the programs we fund. That means understanding what works and what doesn't and how that understanding helps strengthen initiatives and inform future programmatic and funding decisions. For that reason, we were thrilled when the American Institute for Research (AIR) published an update report on what is being learned from our First 5 LA-funded Family Literacy programs, and the results were promising.Preliminary findings from Phase II, Year Five Evaluation Update Report, published in October 2007, indicate that by the end of the year families participating in the 24 family literacy programs are more likely to own a library card, have a healthy library of books in the home and to use literacy-related materials consistently. Anecdotally, parents reported that one of the most valuable things they learned from the program is how to work with their children in developmentally appropriate ways. Through parenting classes, they have learned about child development and what to expect from children at different ages, which in turn has improved the parent-child interactions. "Overall, results from our preliminary analyses of last year's data show that parents participating in the family literacy programs continue to show growth in a range of areas." said Heather Quick, a principal research scientist with AIR, and project director for the Family Literacy study. "Parents also report doing more to engage their children in conversation and turn everyday activities into learning opportunities; for example they talk about the colors of the fruit at the grocery store together or they count trucks on the freeway on the way home." Under the direction of First 5 LA, AIR has also updated its evaluation tool to include program quality measurement and a new survey for parents. This past year they tested these tools and plan to use it to inform their final report due in 2010. For further info on the latest Family Literacy Evaluation report please contact Bill Gould, Research Analyst at bgould@first5la.org or (213) 482-7550. |
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