[NIFL-FAMILY:476] Re: Barriers to Family Literacy

From: Leah Carpenter (lcarp@kih.net)
Date: Mon Dec 10 2001 - 08:47:09 EST


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From: "Leah Carpenter" <lcarp@kih.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:476] Re: Barriers to Family Literacy
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Stigma is such a large barrier here as well. The stigma of the library, =
schools and the word literacy itself pose dilemmas for new families =
coming into programs. We try very hard not to use words such as literacy =
and parenting classes in the beginning...as so many of our families see =
these as being told they are lacking. Eventually they become more =
comfortable with all of the above.

Because of some of the mind set in the more rural parts of our area =
(eastern KY) one significant barrier is the extended family. Families =
trying to increase their skills and possibly live a better life are seen =
as "getting above their raising". Learners struggle with feelings that =
they are betraying their families and feelings of being left out or even =
mocked for their efforts. Even worse is the barrier of husbands who do =
not want their wives to learn or to begin to network with people. These =
homes are often filled with violence and control. Education poses a =
serious threat to that hierarchy.=20

Please do not take my above comments to mean that all of Kentucky is =
like this. This is one segment of our population. We fight enough stereo =
types...I certainly don't want to further any.

One final barrier that I have seen from time to time is the way adult Ed =
is taught. I hear so many interesting themes and methods on this =
listserv...and I am very glad for the resource. I have seen some =
programs here that wanted to stay with handouts and the "old school" =
way. I feel that there is a place for all types of learning including =
hand outs but when we get stuck in the way "it has always been done" we =
do a disservice to ourselves and our families. One of the other posts =
mentioned emergent curriculums. This seems so important if we are to =
embrace all styles of learning. I watched a young girl last year, who =
happened to be functionally blind, struggle to pass the math section of =
her pre GED test. The more I got to know her the more impressed I was =
with her intelligence and tenacity. She had a goal of attending a small =
college here in the area. There were organizations lined up ready to =
help her when she got to the college level...including a seeing eye dog =
and someone to go to class with her. She overcame a husband who was =
against her efforts as well as her disability. Yet, all of this was =
brought to a halt because she couldn't pass a WRITTEN math test. It took =
me almost a year to get her tested in a more appropriate manner. When =
she was tested in an appropriate manner she began to make progress and =
passed the GED exam. She is now enrolled in college and will begin =
attending in the fall.


I guess I will get down off my stump now...I really didn't mean to get =
up there to start with! :)
Leah Carpenter




   =20
   =20
    -----
    Original Message-----
    From: Luiza Dini <Luiza33@hotmail.com>
    To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov>
    Date: Saturday, December 08, 2001 11:32 PM
    Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:470] Re: Barriers to Family Literacy
   =20
   =20
    Another barrier to getting learners to a literacy program is the =
stigma that is attached to libraries.  Many people, especially people =
without a strong education background, see the library as a stuffy and =
forboding place.  A suggestion given is that the literacy program go out =
to the people, for example conducting sessions at a low income housing =
center.  =20
   =20
        ----- Original Message -----
        From: Colleen Cline
        Sent: Friday, December 07, 2001 8:56 AM
        To: Multiple recipients of list
        Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:449] Re: Barriers to Family Literacy
       =20
        Hi Tara.  I am happy to see that you are interested in the field =
of family
        literacy!  Although I am new to the field, I can share with you =
the barriers
        that effect particiaption in my family literacy project.  First =
comes an
        issue of child care.  A key issue in family literacy is parent =
education.
        We belive that when a parent feels more confident/efficient in =
his/her
        reading, they will be better teachers to their children.  The =
second is
        transportation.  Again, my organization offers transportation, =
but I know
        that many other organizations can not do this.  There are =
sometimes language
        barriers, as well.  People from low-income families have very =
low self
        esteem.  It is hard for some parents to participate in services =
- until they
        can be empowered!  I hope this helps you!
       =20
        Colleen Cline
        Family Literacy Specialist
        Broome County Child Development Council, Inc.
        ----- Original Message -----
        From: "Tara Smith" <tesisah@earthlink.net>
        To: "Multiple recipients of list" =
<nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov>
        Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 1:51 PM
        Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:443] Barriers to Family Literacy
       =20
       =20
        > Hello,
        > My name is Tara Smith and I am a student in the MLIS program =
at
        > SJSU. I am currently enrolled in a literacy course and find =
myself being
        >
        > drawn towards the issues in family literacy.
        > I am interested in finding the reasoning behind any lack of
        > participation from learners in family literacy programs.. =
Specifically,
        > I wanted to know what sorts of barriers are preventing =
learners from
        > participating in family literacy programs and what type of =
things have
        > programs done or could have done to help over come these =
obstacles.
        > Thank you for any assistance.
        > Tara Smith
        > SJSU MLIS student
        > tesisah@earthlink.net
        >
        >
        >
       =20
       =20
   =20

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<HTML>
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BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; FONT: 10pt verdana">
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial>Stigma is such a large barrier =
here as well.=20
The stigma of the library, schools and the word literacy itself pose =
dilemmas=20
for new families coming into programs. We try very hard not to use words =
such as=20
literacy and parenting classes in the beginning...as so many of our =
families see=20
these as being told they are lacking. Eventually they become more =
comfortable=20
with all of the above.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Because of some of the mind set in the more =
rural parts of=20
our area (eastern KY) one significant barrier is the extended family. =
Families=20
trying to increase their skills and possibly live a better life are seen =
as=20
&quot;getting above their raising&quot;. Learners struggle with feelings =
that=20
they are betraying their families and feelings of being left out or even =
mocked=20
for their efforts. Even worse is the barrier of husbands who do not want =
their=20
wives to learn or to begin to network with people. These homes are often =
filled=20
with violence and control. Education poses a serious threat to that =
hierarchy.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Please do not take my above comments to mean =
that all of=20
Kentucky is like this. This is one segment of our population. We fight =
enough=20
stereo types...I certainly don't want to further any.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>One final barrier that I have seen from time to =
time is=20
the way adult Ed is taught. I hear so many interesting themes and =
methods on=20
this listserv...and I am very glad for the resource. I have seen some =
programs=20
here that wanted to stay with handouts and the &quot;old school&quot; =
way. I=20
feel that there is a place for all types of learning including hand outs =
but=20
when we get stuck in the way &quot;it has always been done&quot; we do a =

disservice to ourselves and our families. One of the other posts =
mentioned=20
emergent curriculums. This seems so important if we are to embrace all =
styles of=20
learning. I watched a young girl last year, who happened to be =
functionally=20
blind, struggle to pass the math section of her pre GED test. The more I =
got to=20
know her the more impressed I was with her intelligence and tenacity. =
She had a=20
goal of attending a small college here in the area. There were =
organizations=20
lined up ready to help her when she got to the college level...including =
a=20
seeing eye dog and someone to go to class with her. She overcame a =
husband who=20
was against her efforts as well as her disability. Yet, all of this was =
brought=20
to a halt because she couldn't pass a WRITTEN math test. It took me =
almost a=20
year to get her tested in a more appropriate manner. When she was tested =
in an=20
appropriate manner she began to make progress and passed the GED exam. =
She is=20
now enrolled in college and will begin attending in the =
fall.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I guess I will get down off my stump now...I =
really didn't=20
mean to get up there to start with! :)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Leah Carpenter</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B></B></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----</B></FONT></DIV>
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
    </B>Luiza Dini &lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:Luiza33@hotmail.com">Luiza33@hotmail.com</A>&gt;<BR><B>To:=
=20
    </B>Multiple recipients of list &lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov">nifl-family@literacy.nifl.g=
ov</A>&gt;<BR><B>Date:=20
    </B>Saturday, December 08, 2001 11:32 PM<BR><B>Subject:=20
    </B>[NIFL-FAMILY:470] Re: Barriers to Family =
Literacy<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
    <DIV>Another&nbsp;barrier to getting learners to a literacy program =
is the=20
    stigma that is attached to libraries.&nbsp; Many&nbsp;people, =
especially=20
    people without a strong education background,&nbsp;see the library =
as a=20
    stuffy and forboding place.&nbsp; A suggestion given is that the =
literacy=20
    program go out to the people, for example conducting sessions at a =
low=20
    income housing center.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <BLOCKQUOTE=20
    style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
        <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message =
-----</DIV>
        <DIV=20
        style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; COLOR: black; FONT: 10pt =
Arial"><B>From:</B>=20
        Colleen Cline</DIV>
        <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December =
07, 2001=20
        8:56 AM</DIV>
        <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>To:</B> Multiple recipients =
of=20
        list</DIV>
        <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt Arial"><B>Subject:</B> =
[NIFL-FAMILY:449] Re:=20
        Barriers to Family Literacy</DIV>
        <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>Hi Tara.&nbsp; I am happy to see that you are=20
        interested in the field of family<BR>literacy!&nbsp; Although I =
am new=20
        to the field, I can share with you the barriers<BR>that effect=20
        particiaption in my family literacy project.&nbsp; First comes=20
        an<BR>issue of child care.&nbsp; A key issue in family literacy =
is=20
        parent education.<BR>We belive that when a parent feels more=20
        confident/efficient in his/her<BR>reading, they will be better =
teachers=20
        to their children.&nbsp; The second is<BR>transportation.&nbsp; =
Again,=20
        my organization offers transportation, but I know<BR>that many =
other=20
        organizations can not do this.&nbsp; There are sometimes=20
        language<BR>barriers, as well.&nbsp; People from low-income =
families=20
        have very low self<BR>esteem.&nbsp; It is hard for some parents =
to=20
        participate in services - until they<BR>can be empowered!&nbsp; =
I hope=20
        this helps you!<BR><BR>Colleen Cline<BR>Family Literacy=20
        Specialist<BR>Broome County Child Development Council, =
Inc.<BR>-----=20
        Original Message -----<BR>From: &quot;Tara Smith&quot;=20
        &lt;tesisah@earthlink.net&gt;<BR>To: &quot;Multiple recipients =
of=20
        list&quot; &lt;nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov&gt;<BR>Sent: =
Thursday,=20
        December 06, 2001 1:51 PM<BR>Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:443] Barriers =
to=20
        Family Literacy<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Hello,<BR>&gt; My name is Tara =
Smith and=20
        I am a student in the MLIS program at<BR>&gt; SJSU. I am =
currently=20
        enrolled in a literacy course and find myself =
being<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;=20
        drawn towards the issues in family literacy.<BR>&gt; I am =
interested in=20
        finding the reasoning behind any lack of<BR>&gt; participation =
from=20
        learners in family literacy programs.. Specifically,<BR>&gt; I =
wanted to=20
        know what sorts of barriers are preventing learners from<BR>&gt; =

        participating in family literacy programs and what type of =
things=20
        have<BR>&gt; programs done or could have done to help over come =
these=20
        obstacles.<BR>&gt; Thank you for any assistance.<BR>&gt; Tara=20
        Smith<BR>&gt; SJSU MLIS student<BR>&gt;=20
        =
tesisah@earthlink.net<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR=20
    clear=3Dall>
    <HR>
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