This column features two prominent literacy scholars, Catherine Compton-Lilly and Eve Gregory. They discuss their recent research studies in various contexts and describe the reciprocal relationships between school, home, and community literacy practices.

The research reported in this article invites educators to rethink their assumptions about students and families. Using data from a qualitative, longitudinal teacher-research study, the author presents seven lessons that she has learned from the families of her students and challenges other teachers to seek ways to learn about the families they…

Spanish-speaking, Mexican American parents participated in a literacy workshop in which they created short, personal letters called "cartitas de carino" for their children. This paper reports on the content of their texts, which included drawings and messages that reflected the cultural norms and traditions of the families. Using a…

Explores how family literacy practices are connected to social institutions that sustain or transform participants' awareness or reproduction of class identities and the inequities inherent in these interactions. Looks at the complexity of one African-American, working-poor family's literacy practices in their connections to social institutions.…

Shares stories of the author's family's literacy projects in schools, at home, and on the street to explore how critical literacy can become part of everyday lives and dreams for a better future. Articulates the seriousness of these projects, how these projects spring from our questions and interests, and how they can inform educators about…

Describes how the linguistic and cultural connections in a family storytelling event link literacy practices in Mexican American homes with those found in school. Presents six recommendations when working with culturally and linguistically diverse parents. (SG)

Presents a case study of the "Coleman family" to examine support for literacy within an economically disadvantaged family, in which the child learned to value literacy and learned how to read very well despite the limited literacy abilities of the mother. Discusses ways teachers might help parents to support literacy growth at home and at school.…

Describes a workshop for parents of children enrolled in a four-week summer reading program for struggling readers. Discusses parents' views about literacy, their questions about a singular instructional focus, and their situation in the larger literacy community. Notes that radical change did not occur during the program. Argues that parents need…

Describes one rural school's development of a literacy program in which family members collaborate with educators to provide literature-based experiences and tutoring for struggling readers. Concludes that family literacy programs are more successful when they involve family members in working with children as they learn the literary strategies to…

Describes inadequate home literacy experiences of three children, noting that the home expects the school to educate the child and the school expects certain prerequisites of the home, but neither is aware of the other's expectations. Exhorts schools and teachers to communicate better the parents' role in early literacy education. (HTH)