Auerbach 1991

Auerbach, Elsa Roberts. 1991. "Toward a social-contextual approach to family literacy." In Minami and Kennedy 1991. (Reprint of Auerbach 1989.) Interest level: academic.

Examines family literacy programs based on "transmission of school practices" model that promotes parents' efforts toward school-like literacy practices at home. Argues that the model is based on false assumptions.

Warns that programs function under a new version of the "deficit hypothesis," which assumes parents fall short of the skills necessary to promote their children's success at school. Proposes an alternative social-contextual model for family literacy that broadens the definition of family literacy.

Refers to D. Taylor's studies which give evidence that a wide range of home experiences and interaction patterns characterizes homes of successful readers. (1981, Journal of Research in Reading 44(2):92--103. 1983, Family literacy: Young children learning to read and write. Heinemann 1988, with Dorsey-Gaines, Growing up literate: Learning from inner city families. Heinemann.) Quotes Chall and Snow (1982) who discuss classroom factors affecting literacy:

• Availability of a wide variety of reading materials
• Amount and nature of writing
• Use of the library
• Quality of instruction

Also quotes Snow (1987) who states "either literate, stimulating homes or demanding, enriching classrooms can make good readers." Discusses successful family literacy programs.

• Bibliography module: Auerbach 1991
• In overview module: Bibliography (Literacy): A
• In modular book: Bibliography (Literacy), by Doris Gallemore, Trudi C. Hunt, Jeanne Swanson, and Stephen L. Walter
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 18 May 1999

© 1999 SIL International