The Latino Family Literacy Project is working with the University of North Texas to reach families of English learners in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District. The effort is also part of a wider partnership between the district and the UNT College of Education.
Funding comes from a five-year, $2.7 million Title III grant, which the U.S. Department of Education awarded to UNT. The project is known as SUCCESS. Rossana Boyd, who directs UNT’s bilingual and ESL teacher education programs, leads it as principal investigator. Ricardo Gonzalez-Carriedo, an assistant professor of teacher education and administration, is co-principal investigator.
On the family side, the work centers on parents. Over 10 weeks, parents meet with teachers at their children’s schools. While there, they learn ways to support literacy and biliteracy. They also practice reading with their children in both English and Spanish. Once the sessions end, the goal is a steady reading routine at home.
Future teachers take part, too, since training them is a core aim of the grant. Each year, 15 UNT students pursuing certification in bilingual education or English as a second language join the program in the district. They attend professional development on family literacy and on culturally responsive teaching for English learners, and they help pre-K through second grade teachers plan activities for parents.
The Latino Family Literacy Project is a bilingual family engagement program. It uses children’s books in English and Spanish that reflect Latino culture. As a result, parents and children can read together at home. For the district, the partnership offers a way to bring families of English learners closer to what happens in class.
