Author Description

The benefits of family literacy programs for children were examined in a 1997 follow-up study in which 154 parents and 237 children who had participated in a family literacy demonstration program in 1994-1995 were interviewed along with the teachers of a subsample of the children and the demonstration program coordinators. The demonstration programs were in Cardiff, Wales, and Liverpool, Norfolk, and North Tyneside, England. All 237 children recontacted had maintained the basic skill gains made during the program. Parents and demonstration coordinators alike believed strongly that the children were continuing to benefit from the family literacy program. Of the 154 parents recontacted, 66 (43%) were employed in 1997 (versus 29 in 1994-1995). Of those 66 employed parents, 57 (86%) attributed their finding employment directly to the family literacy program. Ninety-two (60%) of the 154 parents had taken at least 1 additional course of study and eighty-seven (56%) stated that they were involved with their children's schools. The percentage of family literacy program completers who were involved with their children's schools was nearly double that of parents of children in a control group. (Sixteen tables/figures are included. Contains 11 references. Appended are a description of the study methodology and additional details about the continuing benefits of family literacy programs for children.) (MN)