Research Brief #10

• Incarcerated fathers' experiences in the Read to Your Child/Grandchild Program:  Supporting children's literacy, learning, and education
    by Prins, Stickel, & Kaiper (2019)

Research Brief #9

• Education and Literacy as Metonyms for English: Adult Basic Education and Domestic Workers in South Africa
  by Kaiper (2018)
  
  

Collaborative Research Brief

• Family Service Learning Brief
  by Cramer & Toso (2015)
  Collaboration between Goodling Institute and the National Center for Families Learning
  
  

Research Brief #8

• Educational and Mothering Discourses and Learner Goals:  Mexican Immigrant Women Enacting Agency in a Family Literacy Program
  by Toso (2012)

Research Brief #7

• Reproducing Gender Inequality: A Critical Discourse Analysis of a Turkish Adult Literacy Textbook
  by Gungor & Prins (2011)

Research Brief #6

• African American Men, Identity, and Participation in Adult Basic and Literacy Programs
  by Drayton & Prins (2011)

Research Brief #5

• Changes in Family Literacy Funding and Welfare Policy: Consequences for Pennsylvania Family Literacy Programs
  by Prins & Gungor (2008) 

Research Brief #4

• Moving towards Participatory Adult Education: Involving Family Literacy Students in Meaningful Leadership Experiences
  by Toso, Prins, Drayton, Gungor, & Gnanadass (2008)

Research Brief #3

• Parenting for Literacy Development and Educational Success: An Examination of the Parent Education Profile
  by Prins & Toso (2008)

Research Brief #2

• The Importance of Social Interaction and Support for Women Learners: Evidence from Family Literacy Programs
  by Prins, Toso, & Schafft (2008)

Research Brief #1

• Poverty, Residential Mobility, and Family Literacy Programs: Perceptions of Educators and Adult Learners in Pennsylvania
  by Shafft, Prins, & Movit (2008)
   Funded through a Research Initiation Grant, College of Education, Pennsylvania State University ($8900)
   

See Research Documents and Reports for links and references to the published documents.

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Policy Briefs

• Changing the Course of Family Literacy (2017)
  

• Response to Washington Post Article (2011)

• CRS Even Start Funding Controversy (2006) [PDF 46KB]

• Even Start Part Analysis:  3-page summary (2006)

• Even Start Part Analysis:  2-page summary (2006)

• Even Start's Impact on Families (2005)

• Critique of the Third National Evaluation of Family Literacy (2004) [PDF 71KB]

• Full Evaluation Critique with States' Supporting Data (2004) [PDF 126KB]

• The Face of Even Start (2004)

• Parents' Perceptions of the Impact of Even Start Programs (no date)

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Practitioner's Guides

Practitioner's Guide #7

Building Employability Skills in Family Literacy Programs:  Lessons from the Toyota Family Learning Program
Toso & Krupar (2016)

This guide, drawing on concrete examples, examines how service learning projects can help to develop employability skills among family literacy participants.

Practitioner's Guide #6

Parent Engagement and Leadership Opportunities:  The benefits for parents, children, and educators
Toso & Grinder (2016)

This guide discusses incorporating leadership training and opportunities into parent involvement and family literacy programs.  By doing this, parents can have a meaningful voice in social and educational issues, and educators can have a better understanding of the benefits of working with and supporting parent as equal partners in schools and communities.

Practitioner's Guide #5

Digital Storytelling in Family Literacy Programs
Mooney & Prins (2015)

This guide discusses what digital storytelling (DST) is and reasons for using it in family literacy programs.  Examples of family literacy programs using DST effectively are provided, along with concrete steps for implementation.  The guide concludes with important considerations for educators and a list of resources.

Practitioner's Guide #4

Addressing the Health Literacy Needs of Adult Education Students
Mooney & Prins (2013)

The purpose of this guide is to inform practitioners about the current descriptions of health literacy and the relevance of this topic to adult education and family literacy practices.  The adult education and family literacy educators play a key role in teaching and enhancing health literacy in the classroom.

Practitioner's Guide #3

Working with Preliterate and Beginning Literacy Level Parents in Family Literacy and Parent Involvement Programs
Shaughnessy & Prins (2012)

This guide provides recommendations for educators working with preliterate and beginning literacy level parents.  There is an increasing number of immigrant learners in programs and educators can better assist this population by tailoring instruction and programmatic offerings to these families.

Practitioner's Guide #2

Parent Interventions and Interactive Literacy Activities
by Grinder & Toso (2012)

This guide informs family literacy practitioners and others who work with families the importance of providing targeted training to parents to help them learn how to work and interact with their children to achieve greater academic success.

Practitioner's Guide #1

Interactive Literacy Activities
by Miller & Prins (2009)

This guide provides a broad overview of Interactive Literacy Activities (ILA) and suggests ways to implement ILA more effectively.  Specifically, the guide summarizes the research basis for ILA, describes what ILA entails and the ways in which they are being used in family literacy, provides examples of ILA activities with a solid research base, and offers suggestions for designing culturally appropriate ILA.

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