Related Research About Adolescents' Views Of Family Literacy

By Author: Amandda
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Family involvement in education can lead to in-Teased student achievement, motivation, and self-esteem while having a positive impact on behavior and attendance in school (Cassity & Harris, 2000; Epstein, 1996). Studies have demonstrated that adolescents often want their families to be involved, but he school practices and family events must support heir developing autonomy (Deslandes & Cloutier, 1002) and be accessible and relevant to students and heir families (Schmidt, 2000).

While most of the literature and current research on family involvement addresses children in preschool or the early grades (Hendrix, 2000), it is important to consider how programs can be supportive for adolescents. Because of students' emerging independence and development Tag Heuer Replica Watches at this age, they often have more influence in communicating events and encouraging participation of their caregivers (McGrew-Zoubi, 1998). Students can be considered primary actors in the relationships their families have with the school; therefore, there is ...
... a need to make the opportunities for involvement developmentally appropriate and relevant for students in the middle grades (Baker, 2000; Deslandes & Cloutier, 2002).

There is still much to be understood about how to develop supportive relationships that allow families to contribute and support students' literacy learning. Family participation is affected by educational and financial resources, motivation and beliefs that parents can help their child succeed at school, time constraints, and relationships or policies promoted by the schools (Fine, 1993; Hoover-Dempsey & Sandier, 1995; Kerbow & Bernhardt, 1993; Swap, 1993; Walker et al., 2005). Even considering ways that involvement is defined reflects the inequities of society, cultural variances, and economic opportunities as well as the differing values and experiences of families (Green, Walker, Hoover-Dempsey, & Sandier, 2007). For instance, some families define involvement as interactions within the home context, such as talking with their children about their educational experiences, goals, or achievement (Kerbow & Bernhardt, 1993); which have been described as "invisible strategies" (Auerbach, 2007; Lareau, 2000; Lareau & Horvat, 1999). Auerbach (2007) has detailed the significance of strategies that parents employ at home and found that their support "from the sidelines" can be a significant factor in how students understand and view the world. This type of involvement has been found to be a strong determinant of good grades and positive life choices (Falbo, Lein, & Amador, 2001).

Involvement is further complicated for parents of color who are separated from schools by cultural and racial issues as well as experiences that have led them to mistrust schools (Valdes, 1996). This can be particularly Cartier Replica Watches relevant when parents are asked to participate in writing activities; if their associations with schooling are negative or the program does not build upon their own linguistic and cultural strengths then they are less likely to be involved (De Gaetano, 2007).