Early Childhood Family Education: Building Parent Capacity and Promoting Pre-Academic Skills of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families

• In Event: Effects of Family Support and Interactions on Young Children

Abstract

This study was an investigation of a two-generation, strengths-based Early Children Family Education (ECFE) program for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children and their families. The researchers aimed to promote pre-academic skills through a cross-system coordinated and collaborative model and build family capacity and increase engagement within the local schools and community in a response to community-identified needs, then investigate the extent to which the community-driven ECFE program influenced the CLD families and young children who participated. Participants included both preschool-aged children and their parents or legal guardians. Participants’ pre-academic and social skills improved significantly, and adult participants had an increased self-perceived ability to help their child rhyme. Additionally, the adult participants’ perception of their reading skills increased.

Authors

• Robert A. Griffin, University of West Georgia

• Katherine B. Green, University of West Georgia

• Chelsea Tey Morris, University of West Georgia