Mission
The mission of the Texas Family Literacy Center (TFLC) is to strengthen family literacy programs and enhance the knowledge, skills, instructional practices and resources available to family literacy educators statewide. A focal point of center activities is to support educators serving the many Texas families who speak a home language other than English.
Goals
Networking and Advocacy
Across Texas, parents and educators are forming effective partnerships that empower families to build a better and more equitable future. The TFLC helps facilitates this ongoing collaboration and support family literacy providers with the best available knowledge of what makes family literacy a success. The TFLC promotes networking and information sharing among key stakeholders to identify family literacy needs and plan for the improvement of family literacy services statewide. Since December 1999, the Center has hosted an annual Family Literacy Conference, with opportunities for family literacy providers and nationally recognized guests to share successes and build a common vision for the future.
Activities and products:
- Annual Texas Family Literacy Conference
- Online Family Literacy Program Directory
Research and Dissemination
Activities in this goal area focus on the ongoing review and dissemination of research-based knowledge of the features of effective family literacy programs. The Center draws from several relevant bodies of literature, including first and second language acquisition, emergent literacy, beginning reading, parent-child interaction, family literacy and adult literacy/ESL. This information is made available to practitioners in user-friendly formats including an Internet-based information Clearinghouse. Instructional practices which support the literacy growth of culturally and linguistically diverse learners are highlighted.
Activities and products:
- Information Clearinghouse
- Professional Development
The TFLC recognizes the importance of specialized training for family literacy educators. Based on needs identified by practitioners, the Center produces materials which assist educators in implementing effective family literacy programs and provide additional insight into the processes that can strengthen the literacy skills of learners of all ages and backgrounds. The Center's professional development guides highlight features of research-based instructional practices and program components, emphasizing strategies to meet the literacy needs of families who speak a home language other than English.
Activities and products:
- Statewide program survey and needs assessment
- Professional development guides and training seminars
