Houston's literacy foundation helps readers of all ages

HOUSTON - 1 in every 3 adults in Harris County is functionally illiterate, meaning they do not have the skills they need for their roles on the job, in their family, or in society.

The Houston Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation united to engage over 100 cross-sector community leaders in the development of Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint.  The Adult Literacy Blueprint is a call for action and a comprehensive plan for coordinated city-wide change to address the systemic crisis of low adult literacy rates. 

Their strategies for success include - 

Build a coalition of partners to educate and empower families of infants and toddlers through age 4.

Increase access to high-quality family literacy programs where parents and children learn together.

Design and equip public libraries to serve as community centers where children and their parents learn together and have access to specialized resources to use at home.

Support evidenced-based home visitation and group-based parenting programs that emphasize early learning and emergent literacy skill development.

Julie Baker Finck, Ph.D., President for the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, shares some advice on how to match books with your children.

Much like Goldilocks in the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, who searched for the bowl of porridge that was "just right" for her, choosing books with your child needs careful consideration. While there is no absolute science to choosing books that are "just right," there are some guiding principles to inform your decisions. This article provides you with helpful tips to guide you and your child in searching for books that will engage, inspire and aid in reading skill development.

While there has been debate among researchers about whether choosing books that are "just right" is,  well, the "right" method, as opposed to choosing books that challenge your child’s reading abilities, there is agreement that parents need helpful tips to guide them in supporting their child’s learning at home through book choice. 

There are a lot more tips and resources for parents at families at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation website.