BENEFITS AND MOTIVATORS FOR FAMILY LITERACY ENGAGEMENT
Open Access
- Author:
- Makover, Alexandra Riane
- Area of Honors:
- English
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Blaire Willson Toso, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Marcy Lynne North, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- family literacy
literacy
immigrant parents
education - Abstract:
- The purpose of this study is to explore why parents choose to engage both themselves and their children in family literacy programming. The objective is to analyze the perceived benefits and motivators of family literacy, and explore the ways parents seek personal gain from these programs. This study takes a close look at the lives and experiences of five parents involved in family literacy at Easton Heights Community Center, a family literacy program located in a large Northeastern city. The researcher interviewed five immigrant mothers, all who participate in the Easton Heights family literacy program, about their backgrounds, goals, and educations. This study used narrative inquiry as its lens to delve deeper into the lives of these women, and provide a look at their literacy journey. Results show that all five women were motivated by their families, community, and achieving their goals to stay involved in family literacy programming. They wanted to create better futures for their children, and many sought social benefits through the community center. Beyond these shared themes, differences existed in their personal aspirations and literacy levels. Overall, my research shows that parents choose to partake in family literacy, and pursue their own educations, for varying reasons. This study opens the door to further research questions in the field of family literacy. For example, future research could delve into the role of fathers in family literacy programing to try to explain the lack of paternal involvement within the five narrative inquiries of this study.