Voices from the heart: A case study of family literacy practices in one low-income community in New Brunswick

Increasing awareness of the value of home literacy experiences, combined with a recognition of the importance of the family, has contributed to growth in the number of family literacy programs. These, however, lack theoretical underpinnings. Further, there is a paucity of studies in family literacy practices with school age children. This study uncovers the interplay of family literacy practices in one low-income neighbourhood. To address sociocultural factors that affect literacy, societal circumstances and issues which enable or constrain literacy events were explored. By entering into the life-worlds of participants to portray lived dimensions of enculturation and family literacy this study employs critical theory to expand research in family literacy. The following questions guided my inquiry into the literacy-related practices and perceptions of low-income families: how family literacy practices unfold, how literacy is embedded in the social practices and relationships between school and home, and what conditions and factors within the family contribute to family literacy practices and children's enculturation into these practices? Eight families were purposively selected for this exploratory case study. Data collection included observations at school, parent interviews, questionnaires, journal entries, parent-child interactions and field notes. The findings uncover the ways that low-income families use and perceive literacy in their homes and serve to challenge assumptions, namely that we live in an egalitarian society and that schools do not privilege particular ways of thinking. The tragedy of living in poverty with its inherent barriers to equitable access and participation is presented as a key factor in limiting educational opportunities for low-income children. Emergent themes include: conflicting time orientation of low-income families; cultural mismatch between teachers and students; importance of the social environment and families as powerful social conduits for culture and identity formation; and limitation in household resources to support educational pursuits. These were analyzed for discourses of hope, invasion, time, space, female body and maternity that they frame in the women's lives. Implications for shaping current practice, future research, teacher education, and public policy are discussed. The significance of this study for the family literacy field inheres in offering an interactive model of literacy practices for educators