Professional Books — Review

Family Literacy Experiences

by Jennifer Rowsell
Pembroke Publishers, 2006
ISBN 13: 978-1-55138-207-4
$24.95, 160 pp, adult
www.pembrokepublishers.com

For every teacher who wonders if the literacy experiences they provide for students in school are relevant to the “new literacies” of our multi-media, internet universe, this book is a must. Not only does it support the notion of incorporating home and out-of-school experiences with what happens in the classroom, it shows you how to do it. The emphasis on language teaching that includes the culture of our students by building on their experiences, ensures that teachers will communicate in a meaningful way with students. Teachers not familiar with internet blogs, zines, or the value of collector cards, will become familiar with these aspects of today’s media, and more importantly, learn how to use their students’ interest and excitement in these communication trends to create opportunities for engaging literacy lessons.

The book is highly readable and well-organized around genres—each chapter contains a vignette of the genre in action, the inherent skills of each genre and how to build them into classroom instruction. Also included are simple activities that involve students, and an easy assessment frame that addresses the specifics of the genre. The author assembles relevant “voices from the field” that explain and reinforce the importance and basic frameworks for family literacy learning. Numerous photographs, diagrams, lesson suggestions, reproducible student worksheets and sample testing rubrics provide a wealth of information for effective teaching. There are many tips for ESL learners in this book, as well as concrete suggestions for strengthening the home-school connection. It is highly recommended.

Return to Book Review List