Two methods are commonly used to promote integration of the components in family literacy programs—the use of common activities like storybook reading, and the use of common themes, like celebration of holidays (see PFES Briefs 110).  Another method is being studied by PFES, the use of a common process.  This PFES Brief will focus on the process of dialogue.

Dialogue is defined here as a teacher-led conversation with families that centers around a core set of program messages.  In this process, all of the teachers in the family literacy program engage in dialogue with family members.  They reinforce program messages as opportunities arise during normal program activities.  The teachers meet regularly to update one another on how families are progressing in the program and to identify messages that need to be addressed.

An example of the use of dialogue could work like this.  A parent is frustrated with lack of progress on an algebra lesson in the adult education class.  It brings back memories of failure in school and is affecting her participation in the other components of the program.  When she visits the early childhood room for parent-child interaction time, the early childhood teacher might engage the parent in a dialogue about how children are using blocks to make patterns.  She points out that the patterns center around colors, shapes, sizes, or combinations of these variables.

The parent says, "Variables?  That's what I'm doing in math right now.  Using variables in algebra."  The teacher says, "Yes, your daughter is studying variables, too.  The things she does with blocks will help her with algebra later in school."  The parent is now interested.  Doing something as simple as "playing with blocks" will help her daughter avoid the failure that her mother faced?  The dialogue can continue with information about how young children's brains develop, neural connections are formed, etc.

What messages were reinforced through this sequence?  The importance of play in a child's development.  The importance of readiness skills.  The parent is the child's first and most important teacher.  The parent can have a significant influence on the child's later success in school.

This dialogue can be expanded during the next parent time discussion.  Vocabulary such as "neural connections" can be studied in the adult education class.  The parent can develop a renewed interest in learning algebra.  She is not learning it just to pass the GED test; now she is also learning algebra because she is her child's most important teacher and one day she will be helping her daughter with algebra homework.

This process was possible because three conditions were met:  the teachers were in regular communication about family needs, the teachers have defined a set of common messages they seek to reinforce throughout the program, and the teachers have been trained to use dialogue to promote these messages.

In the dialogue process, teachers focus on messages that emerge from the daily activities of the program.  Multiple messages may be reinforced within the same activity.  A message reinforced today in adult education may be revisited tomorrow in parent time.  The point is that the common set of messages is constantly being addressed by the teachers through their dialogue with families.

In highly effective family literacy programs, this process becomes part of the culture and is adopted by parents as well as teachers.  Parents are invited to participate in the definition of core messages for the program and learn to reinforce those messages with one another.

Citation:

Popp, R. J. (2001).  Using dialogue to promote component integration in family literacy programs.  PFES Brief, 111.  Retrieved (date) from the World Wide Web at http://www.bobpopp.com/.

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