ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews scholarship on several topics concerning social class and family literacy. First, the chapter draws on Paul Gorski’s “equity literacy” framework to discuss how educators can counteract deficit views of families in poverty. Next, the chapter summarizes the “language gap” controversy regarding the linguistic capabilities of children from poorer versus wealthier families. Third, the authors use Annette Lareau’s ethnographic research to trace class-based approaches to childrearing, including parental involvement in schools and education. The authors then offer two examples of family literacy programs that have worked with low-income families in notably respectful ways. The chapter concludes by highlighting additional research on social class and family literacy, including findings from large datasets. Implications for family literacy practice are discussed throughout the chapter.
