A Case Study of an Intergenerational and Family Literacy Program in Egypt

• In Event: Family and intergenerational learning and literacy: International perspectives from Argentina, Egypt, Jamaica, and Turkey

Proposal

This case study describes an intergenerational family literacy program that helps mothers of primary-school-aged children in rural areas of Egypt learn to: (1) read or improve their nascent reading skills, (2) help their children succeed in learning to read in school, and (3) have productive discussions with their husbands and other family members about how they, too, could help their children learn to read well. The program is built around existing materials and teacher training approved by Egypt’s Adult Education Authority and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity of Egypt. The program was also paired with an effort to improve the teaching of reading in community primary schools.

The paper presents the findings from four research efforts: (1) a quantitative assessment of the mothers’ gains in literacy; (2) a quantitative household survey that used interviews to identify changes in intergenerational and family literacy practices; (3) a qualitative study involving interviews with eight participants and their families regarding the impact of the program; and (4) a focus group interviews with parents to identify ways to improve the program.

Ample evidence shows that educated parents (often linked to socio-economic status) tend to prioritize their children’s education more than those without an education and thus their children are more likely to perform better in school (Dubow et al., 2009). This program aimed to equip both women, especially mothers, and primary school-aged children in selected villages with the necessary literacy skills for continuous learning and self-improvement. Beyond providing literacy support to parents and their children, the program went further by bringing both generations together to interact and build upon each other's literacy skills. First, it engaged mothers’ literacy skills through functional literacy classes while their children were supported in the community schools. Then mothers and children were encouraged and supported to develop their literacy and lifelong learning skills together through family literacy books created by the program. The family literacy books were created to be leveled for mothers’ and their children’s literacy levels and were written about topics of interest to both. These books generated conversations within the family to promote reading comprehension and critical thinking, which are essential for lifelong learning. Additionally, mothers benefited from parenting workshops. Through this holistic approach of addressing the entire family’s learning needs, family literacy can provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning for both child and parent (UNESCO, 2017).

Many programs in lower- or middle-income countries focus on improving literacy instruction in primary schools, but most of these efforts do not engage the mothers (or fathers) of the students in those schools. This case study demonstrates that caregivers who cannot read or who have low literacy skills can acquire or improve their literacy skills, help their pre-school children prepare to learn to read, help their primary school children improve their reading skills, and mobilize members of their families to support this effort.

Author

• Huai Ming Sanchez, World Education, Inc.