BUILDING HOME-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS CAN SUPPORT
CHILDREN WHO STRUGGLE WITH LITERACY
While levels of achievement are not always empirically correlated with parental involvement, research consistently demonstrates the importance of parental commitment in their child's education (Finn 1998; Lazar and Slostad 1999). This research paper investigated the efficacy of home-school partnerships for the support of children who struggle with literacy. Since literacy continues to be a topic of concern, and studies show that effort is required to maximize parental interest in education, an investigation into the efficacy of home school partnerships for support of childhood learning was warranted (Cassidy and Wenrich 1999; Lazar and Slostad 1999).
Included in this review will be an overview of the following findings:
(1)literacy, consisting of (a)literacy perspectives, (b)the family literacy perspective, and (c)increasing literacy;
(2)home school partnerships, including (a)studies reflecting home school partnership results, (b)family views, (c)opposing convictions, (d)obstacles, and (e)what parents want;
(3)home school partnership examples, encompassing (a)home-school-community, (b)home school partnership plans, (c)cultural considerations, and (d)international lessons; and
(4)technology, including (a)company involvement, and (b)computers at school and home.
Efficacy of home school partnerships can be understood within the theoretical framework of literacy perspectives. Literacy is a term that includes more than one perspective. As one researcher noted, different points of view on the topic determine the manner in which educators, parents, children and family use and evaluate literacy (Hill 1997).
Historical perspectives are concerned with readiness for reading instruction. Maturational readiness, includes the view that children pass through stages that cannot be rushed; thus home school connections ...