Literacy Is About Communication

Addressing the Needs of Families Who Struggle With Adult Literacy Issues

by Judy Winter, Contributing Writer

Parents play a vital role in ensuring early childhood literacy, but what if those parents are struggling with their own literacy issues? According to a 1992 U.S. Department of Education survey, 23 percent or 44 million adults in this country are functionally illiterate, and many head families with young children.

As director of the Child Development Laboratory (CDL) at Michigan State University (MSU), LaVelle Gipson-Tansil understands firsthand the importance of ensuring childhood literacy for diverse populations. She is responsible for overseeing the needs of 317 families whose children attend the CDL each day. “Literacy concerns cross all socioeconomic and ethnic lines,” Gipson-Tansil explains. “Literacy is not just about reading. It is about communication.”

The Child Development Laboratory is part of MSU’s Department of Family and Child Ecology in the College of Human Ecology and serves children from birth to age six with a wide range of diverse language, cultural, and developmental needs.
“I treat each one of my families as if they have special circumstances,” says Gipson-Tansil, who requires parent participation at the school. “Parents are the key to ensuring early childhood literacy.”

Gipson-Tansil is a faculty specialist in the College of Human Ecology and a teacher/educator/trainer for early childhood and primary teacher education, including graduate level. Under her guidance, 500 future educators pass through the CDL doors each year. Gipson-Tansil reminds us that children often succeed or fail based upon the efforts of the responsible adults in their lives.

Here are some of Gipson-Tansil’s tips:

Tips for parents struggling with personal literacy issues:

• Give children your time (whether planned or unplanned). The time we have with our young children is brief and can never be regained. Understand your child’s needs, then take time to meet those needs. Gipson-Tansil calls time the number-one factor in achieving childhood literacy.
• Equip yourself to create the best learning environment for your child. Access resources that can help you address your own literacy issues. Take advantage of parenting classes and obtain parenting information. Provide your children with books and magazines and take them to the library. “Ask yourself what is it you want for your children,” Gipson-Tansil says. “Then build those things into your life.”
• Access community resources. Take advantage of story hours at bookstores and libraries. Consider enrolling your children in programs where literacy is a priority. Make use of social services, community centers, and after-school programs. Recognize the value of human resources within your own neighborhood, including grandparents. Gipson-Tansil suggests identifying an adult in your life willing to support your literacy efforts and then discuss your needs with that adult.
• Reach out for support within your own immediate community. Choose a successful parent as a mentor. “Connect with families you believe are parenting their children well,” she advises. “Then ask for their advice on challenging parenting issues.”
• Recognize the importance of using mass media as literacy tools. Look at newspaper and magazine ads and discuss them. If the television must be on, turn on the closed captioning to reinforce reading. Look at the pictures on cereal boxes and discuss the microwave settings while you use them. “Talk about what happens in your everyday life with your child,” Gipson-Tansil advises.

Tips for professionals working with culturally diverse families who struggle with personal literacy issues:

• Understand and support families in the context of who they are. Learn about family traditions, customs, and ethnicity. Home visits, parent surveys, and questionnaires are tools that can help you obtain such information. Provide
  resources. Gipson-Tansil suggests asking parents what they want and need. Don’t assume you know the answers.
• Try to recognize a family’s gifts and limitations, then work within those constraints. Avoid judging families. “Our professional goal is to help families create the kind of nurturing environment that supports early childhood literacy for ALL children,” Gipson-Tansil says.
• Have an awareness and acceptance of the value of diverse families. “Be careful not to form opinions without good information,” Gipson-Tansil cautions. If you find yourself struggling with personal biases toward families, address the biases. Management is key in helping to support professional staff in addressing and resolving challenging issues.
• Create an environment that provides all children with opportunities for expression. Prepare an environment with a variety of learning opportunities in individual and small and large group settings.
• Take advantage of professional development. Stay current on timely topics and vary your teaching approach. Try to focus on individual learning styles that can help you reach diverse families. Gipson-Tansil advises that every one learns differently. “Some people learn best by talking, while others learn best by writing information down.”

For more information, contact: LaVelle Gipson-Tansil, Director, Child Development Laboratory, Family and Child Ecology, College of Human Ecology, 325 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 355-1900, (517) 355-0336 fax, gipson@msu.edu or Judy Winter, jappwinter@aol.com, www.judywinter.com.

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