Received: (from news@localhost) by literacy (8.7.6/8.7.3) id IAA18379 for nifl-family@novel.nifl.gov; Wed, 6 Nov 1996 08:11:21 -0500 (EST) Path: literacy.nifl.gov!nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov From: MPottsDT@aol.com Newsgroups: nifl.family Subject: Home Visits to Family Literacy Participants Date: 6 Nov 1996 08:11:19 -0500 Organization: National Institute for Literacy Lines: 71 Sender: listproc@literacy.nifl.gov Distribution: nifl Message-ID: <961106081001_1215370694@emout06.mail.aol.com> Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov NNTP-Posting-Host: literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Status: O X-Status: Good morning to the Interact members and all who care about families, We have received questions many times during our training sessions and on the phone about home visits--our philosophy and our practice. Yesterday, I received a posted message, asking if home visits "are necessary." May I share a few comments with all of you? The National Center for Family Literacy believes in and supports the practice of "Home Visits" as an integral component of a Family Literacy Program. Such visits are very helpful in learning more about the needs of families and establishing rapport with adult learners. Some staff members plan to visit each family once a month; others try to visit more often. We recommend that two staff members visit as a team. Those who follow this practice usually take turns, and sometimes, the school principal, the coordinator of the program, or a social worker accompanies a staff member. What is the benefit to families? They have the opportunity to have the undivided attention of the FL staff for a brief time to: * discuss their individual needs, concerns, goals * work on specific academic or social goals, and * demonstrate proficiencies * learn to use "found materials" in the home as teaching tools * become familiar with all staff members of the FL Program. What is the benefit to staff and program? They have the opportunity to interact with enrolled parent and child as well as with whole families. They can often discover: * needs beyond those revealed in the program * strengths upon which they can build curriculum and through which they can challenge the family to higher goals * interaction practices between parents and children in the natural setting that may provide significant information and insight that will help with program planning. In addition, home visits are helpful as: * recruitment strategies * retention of adult students, who begin to trust on a higher level and acquire a greater sense of self-worth * one method of involving the significant others with the program, including home activities for that person (s). What should happen when FL staff visits in the home? Our experience reveals that a 45 minute to one hour visit is long enough for most families. We recommend that the content of the visit should be structured. It is advisable to take: * academic materials for the adult student (parent or caregiver), such as a short story not read in class, a book of simple word games, a journal, tips for helping children with literate behaviors, etc. * games and tools of literacy for the child (paper, pencils, crayons, books) * information on transfer of school ideas into the home--recipes, instructions, extra materials, etc. Staff should include everyone in the activities, perhaps demonstrating how to turn a cardboard box into a bookcase or how to use toilet paper rolls to create musical instruments. Most of the time should be devoted to parent/child interaction, some of the time to adult needs and questions. Successful Family Literacy teachers have a broader view of program and student needs than unsuccessful teachers. This wider perspective includes more than literacy and educational needs and extends to family support. It is easier, more effective, and more efficient if family support includes home visits. This is an issue of importance around the country, and we support it. For more information about quality home visits, read any or all of Doug Powell's articles, which you can access from ERIC. Happy visiting. Meta Potts MPottsDT@aol.com
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