Some Lessons Learned from Working with Children and Families in Diverse Communities

This chapter critically reflects on three decades of working in family literacy programs in diverse contexts: (1) in socially disadvantaged communities, (2) with First Nations Communities, and (3) with Immigrant and Refugee communities. It first attends to the research and scholarship that informed the development and implementation of these programs, including cultural models of learning, culturally responsive education, funds of knowledge, and bilingualism and home language maintenance. Next, it briefly describes the various initiatives and some of the salient outcomes. Then it shares some of the challenges that the authors encountered, as well as some of the positive lessons learned from families. It concludes by proposing some principles for those working in family literacy programs with diverse children, families, and communities.