Family Support for

Early Literacy and

Numeracy
Hannah Heissel
ECE 290 Administration

The Study
65 children (4-5 years)
Parents
Disposable cameras
Photograph literacy & numeracy events at home & community
Parents were provided with a comment sheet

The Photographs
Literacy & Numeracy:
Children counted and name family members when they prepared the table for a meal
Children interacted with older siblings or parents in reading, shopping, cooking or
board games
Reading symbols on a computer, following instructions, keeping score in a digital game
Children played with dolls, cars, blocks, and construction sets.
Children sorted cars according to colors or pretended to read to their dolls

Library
Take-out menus, magazines, newspapers, etc.
Community:
Supermarket shopping; ordering take-out; catching a bus

Everyday Literacy and Numeracy

Events
Shopping
Reading mail, emails, texts, or
instructions
Routine events such as washing
clothes; dressing which require
sequencing skills

Mealtimes
Traveling in public or private
transport
Watching television or DVDs

Writing shopping lists

Listening or dancing to music

Cooking: reading recipes,

sequencing, reading temperature
symbols

Local library visits

Conversations

Exploring the Potential

Family homes and local communities

Stories from an adults

childhood (photographs or
videos)
Everyday events that help
children connect to family,
culture and community
Everyday storytelling

Adults using print, signs or

symbols:
Children are:
Watching
Imitating
Participating

Print, signs, or symbols

communicate something

Environmental Audits:

Kitchens and living rooms that contain symbols,

letters, words, or numerals
Families can identify:

different languages
print types
signs and symbols
different types of literacy and numeracy

Strategies for Improving HomeSchool Partnerships

Provide disposable cameras to document

Assisting families in conducting audits
Interviewing parents about typical day and events children
participate actively in or observes

Early Childhood Educators can

Affirm, support, and build on family literacy and numeracy

practices by
Parent information sessions
Posters with pictorial or photographic examples and captions
Resources found in homes and communities
Newspapers
Take-out menus

Childrens home languages

Printed versions
Labels; displayed; information notices

Conclusion
Playing and participating in purposeful experiences = important for
childs development
Individuals can extend a childs thinking, problem solving, curiosity, and
creativity by:
Asking questions
Prompting the child
Modeling thinking-aloud strategies:
I wonder how many? What will happen if we? Why did the?

Helping families see the learning potential in everyday activities and

resources, we can be partners in their childrens development and
learning