Family Literacy Framework
A practical way for applying a family lens across disciplines
VIDEO: The method and framework
Overview
Our family literacy framework has several dimensions, but there are some fundamental principles that animate our mission and inform all aspects of our work.
The family literacy framework highlights the ability to discern and analyze the family in several ways:
Fosters multidisciplinary collaboration with family studies scholars, educators, and policymakers, creating opportunities to address societal issues through a
holistic, family-centered lens
Develops the critical skills and core competencies necessary to access, analyze, evaluate, and apply knowledge about the family across diverse fields of study &
professional practice.
Cultivates a deeper understanding of the family’s central role in shaping
individual and societal well-being, helping to counteract misconceptions & cultural messages that perpetuate family illiteracy
Highlights the intergenerational dimension of family literacy: both knowledge and misunderstanding about the family can be transmitted across generations, shaping attitudes, values & behaviors in lasting ways.
Guiding principles
The family is the fundamental unit of society and a powerful force in the human experience
Few individuals fully comprehend the far-reaching influence and significance of families.
A lack of understanding about the important role of the family in society manifests itself through countless negative consequences
Improved family literacy provides the tools necessary to alleviate the negative consequences of family illiteracy.
The 5 Pillars of Family Literacy
Building on the methodological framework and definition above, the foundations of family literacy provide the guiding principles that give the approach coherence and purpose. The framework rests on five core pillars that reflect the central role of families in society.
Video: The 5 pillars of Family Literacy