By Yvonne Capehart | Project Leader, Co-Director WE-CARE Foundation
FAMILY LITERACY INTIATIVE PROGRAM REPORT FOR MAY TO JULY, 2021
The Family Literacy Initiative (FLI) program is well on its way in the implementation of Year Six. This literacy home-based highly effective multi-generational early childhood program, continues to interact with families in four economic challenged communities in Liberia: WestPoint, Caldwell, Duazon and Neezoe. The program works with parents through home visits, giving them the skills, tools, and confidence, they need to become their child's first teacher. Moreover, it prepares children for success in school and life and also provides opportunity for empowerment, through employment of home visitors from the four communities.
Home visits for Year Six started in May, 2021, with 195 families with 197 children between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. At the first visit, each family received the FLI curriculum booklet for the week and other instructional supplies that included: book, shapes, color crayon, paper glue, scissors, pencil and sharpener. The year one families also received storage containers to store their children weekly curriculum materials. During each visit, a fifteen- minute review was conducted, with both parent and child, on activities carried out by the parent with the child during the previous week from sections of the five domains from the FLI curriculum. Each participating family has received 12 home visits.
Home Visitor’s Regular Training Session
To maintain the quality and integrity of the program, 12 weekly home visitors’ trainings were conducted by the coordinators within the program communities (Duazon, Neezoe, and Caldwell & WestPoint). Year Six 2021 training session has taken a different trend, using lessons learned over the years, to improve the outcomes of the children by building stronger parent child relationships resulting in better preparation of the children for preschool readiness.
First Group Meeting
Group meeting is an essential feature of Family Literacy Initiative where the families come together and discuss things of common interest. The first group meeting was held in the four communities with smaller groups of families coming together at a time due to COVID-19 health protocol of social distance. Parents came together and shared their experiences and challenges they had in teaching their children for the first ten weeks. Year One parents said that it was a challenge for their 3-year-old children to sit still and attentively to do the lessons. Another parent shared that when her child is being difficult, she usually allows her child to choose the activity that the child wants to do from the activity booklet. After they have completed that activity then they do the assigned activities. It was observed that parents were excited to take turns in demonstrating the FLI curriculum activities that they had previous role played with their children.
Adult Literacy Program (ALP)
A new Adult Literacy Coordinator has been hired for the adult literacy component of FLI. Adult literacy classes will be conducted for families in three of the four communities. This component is important to help build the capacity of parents in the program, with low literacy skills, to better teach their children. It also builds the self-esteem and confidence as the parents interact with the home visitors and as they teach their children. Two levels of ALP classes are being implemented: Level 1 for new learners and Level 2 for those who have completed ALP Level 1. The total of 75 parents will be participating in these ALP classes.
Formative Assessment
FLI regular Week Ten Assessment that serves to track the children progress on skills and concepts covered in the curriculum, was conducted at the end of week ten. A total of 197 children participating in the program have been assessed. Data entry for the assessment is in progress.
In these challenging times and Corona virus infection rates fluctuating, caution is being taking to ensure the safety of both the home visitors and the parents through the wearing of face mask, use of hand sanitizer and the observation of social distancing.
Your support of our Family Literacy Initiative program is very much appreciated. Although we haven’t reached our goal, new grant funds have been received that are also helping to support the program.
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