The poverty statistics for children in this country have reached alarming rates with a staggering 16 million children living at or below the poverty line in 2016. The reasons for these conditions are varied and don’t always require families to be out of work. Many of these parents are working, but their wages are too low or their unemployment status too unstable to maintain enough income to cover daily living expenses. For families who aren’t gainfully employed in some capacity, work opportunities are sparse and making an income is a challenge. Other factors, such as inadequate housing, community services, support systems in place, and violent, neglected neighborhoods, contribute to the growing poverty rate in American cities.

A child’s education and well-being are both negatively impacted by impoverished conditions. Academic outcomes are far less successful on average than with children who have access to resources. Their health is also affected, as children in low-income and poor families are more likely to be exposed to cigarette smoke and lead. These families are also food insecure, so children suffer malnutrition. All of these components come together to provide a very steep uphill climb toward academic achievement. Children who do not have access to simple resources for life are also severely disadvantaged when it comes to educational resources. Simple things, such as books, are not available for these children to read, and there are fewer books in the homes of impoverished families. Additional resources from school supplies to adequate transportation for a child to get to school play a role in the obstacles that impoverished families need to navigate.

With more people living in cities than ever before, the disadvantaged have a very difficult time surviving in an environment where so much of the population has migrated. Parents who don’t have sufficient educational preparation to find a good job rely on social services to help, but children living in these conditions have a tough time trying to rise above their situation. In some cases, a high value was never placed on education, so parental involvement is low. For others, parental involvement is a challenge because the parents do have jobs but work long hours to put food on the table. This can also present a similar difficulty for children to pursue an education.

The Latino Family Literacy Project is passionate about being part of the solution against poverty, and has developed an award-winning parent program specifically for Hispanic parents that includes the use of award-winning books.

The Latino Family Literacy Project understands the importance of parental involvement and provides staff training to use a bilingual family reading program. This program will guide teachers to work with students and parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to improve reading skills at home. If you’re interested in finding out more information about this program, please plan on attending a workshop or webinar, or schedule one in your area. They offer both online webinar training and in-person workshops. If you would like to preview a few of the books used in the program, please visit Lectura Books Youtube page.

For the latest information regarding parental involvement, visit our Facebook and Twitter. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Urban Poverty in the United States appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.

Despite the media putting a spotlight on some of these opposing views, the influence of parents on a child’s learning is dramatically positive. Even if the parents themselves are unsure of how to help out with homework, their presence can be felt in making sure the child actually finishes it before class. Even this small step can demonstrate large dividends later on. If a child is struggling with their studies, parents can help them learn or find ways to get additional resources involved to ensure their child’s success. The changes in this involvement can be seen in the ways that parents choose to engage with their children. More of them are getting actively involved in helping with homework and incorporating education into family leisure activities, such as going to a museum or theatre to expose children to culture and history. Technology has also become more prevalent in the methods of education, such as mobile devices, software, and online resources that are readily available. Parents often times give their children access to these items and even use them alongside the child to help them learn.

Lectura books provides award-winning multicultural books. These books are a great tool for students and parents of diverse backgrounds. Multicultural stories allow both students and parents to be able to relate to the story and be more inclined to read and retain the information. This encourages more reading and speaking of English at home. Visit Lectura Books Youtube Page to see some of their most popular book titles.

The Latino Family Literacy Project are experts in working with Spanish speaking parents and can train your staff to work specifically with parents of diverse backgrounds at your school. The company offers both online webinar training and in person workshops.

Stay updated with the latest information about parental involvement and follow our Facebook and Twitter pages. We post new information every day.

The post The Changes in Parent Involvement Expectations Over 40 Years appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.

1. Preschoolers are highly visual creatures. They are engaged through sight as much as they are through touch. Bright colors and shiny objects are just some of the items that capture their attention and engage their imagination. By contrast, getting them to understand the basics of literacy can be a challenge. Reading to a child is an activity that promotes the importance of story and serves as a valuable entry point to teaching them effective literacy skills. But reading to a preschooler is only one part of the process. Getting them to engage with literacy by their own accord is another. This can be done in a variety of ways that incorporate creativity and art in equal measure. Books that have pictures are a fundamental tool for teaching literacy in preschool. Appropriate age children’s books don’t rely as heavily on text as they do on illustrations, and this is one of the most important methods towards connecting art with literacy in teaching preschoolers how to read.

3. Then there are the activities that let them create their own stories. Drawing pictures on paper with pencils, crayons, and paints lets them create the image and the back story surrounding it. Collages are also a handy exercise that allows children to build a story through designing images in any order they see fit. Anything that enables a child to be creative will help foster their imagination to make a connection to other learning processes that are presented in the classroom setting. This can go a long way to improving their literacy skills by opening their minds to new ideas and promoting an interest and enthusiasm for learning. Incorporating art in the classroom may even spark an interest in the arts themselves, whether it’s drawing, painting, or even finding other creative outlets for self-expression as they grow older.

Lectura Books understands the connection between art and literacy and has published award-winning dual language books in English and Spanish specifically for preschool children. These books contain vivid, artistic illustrations that grab the attention of the reader. You can preview a few of the books used in the program on Lectura Books Youtube page.

Stay updated with the latest information about ELLs and follow our Facebook and Twitter pages. We post new information every day.

The post 3 Ways to Connect Art with Literacy for Preschool appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.