Family-Focused Early Learning Programing: Access, Opportunities, and Issues in one Canadian Context

Antoinette Doyle,Ling Li

doi:10.1177/21582440211046943

Abstract

Family-focused early learning programs aim to assist parents in supporting their young children language and literacy development. This study examined program access and learning opportunities for diverse families across a wide range of community-based settings in one eastern Canadian province. As well, the study examined practitioners’ perspectives on issues related to program development and implementation. Primarily through surveys, practitioners provided data on more half of all community-based programs in the province. The findings of the study showed that most programs offered a form of parent and child focused drop-in play as the core of their programing. Few programs offered a more formalized parent-facilitator learning component as is sometimes found in other jurisdictions. The issues and challenges in programing identified by practitioners included attracting participants, maintaining funding and expanding program activities, and staff training to expand and enhance programing to meet the needs of families. These issues are discussed in light of current public policy and practice.

Highlights

Introduction and Purpose of the StudyThis paper, surveying family literacy program practitioners, investigates the opportunities for families in one Canadian context to engage in programs to support children’s early learning and issues in program implementation
Of the 16 survey participants, 11 worked in Family Resource Centers (FRCs), and 3 were employed at Community Centers affiliated with the provincial public housing authority and located in neighborhoods in which substantial numbers of people resided in public housing
The remaining two participants worked with community development organizations focusing on lifelong learning and poverty reduction and offering family-focused early learning programs through affiliations with local partners including FRCs

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and Purpose of the StudyThis paper, surveying family literacy program practitioners, investigates the opportunities for families in one Canadian context to engage in programs to support children’s early learning and issues in program implementation. Vygotsky’s social development theory (1978) posits that children learn from their interactions in the social environment. According to Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of the zone of proximal development, parents’ fine-tuning of the level of language complexity and cognitive strategies parents use in speaking with their children can promote children’s internalization of these skills and strategies. Children can learn language and conceptual knowledge from fine-tuned interactions with their parents, at home. We are interested in programs in which a key goal is to promote children’s language and literacy development. These programs may be attended by parents with their children, or by parents only. Location where program(s) offered (e.g., school, Community Center)?

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