[Reading-hall-of-fame] Psychoeducation for Family Literacy

[Thomas Sticht]

*September 19-25, 2021:  Adult Education and Family Literacy Week*

 Psychoeducation for Adult and Family Literacy Development

 Tom Sticht, International Consultant in Adult Education (Ret.)

 Over one hundred and ten years ago, in 1908, Edmund Burke Huey published
his classic book on *The Psychology and Pedagogy of Reading* illustrating
early applications of psychoeducational practices to the development of
oracy and literacy. Reflecting on the role of oracy in reading he wrote,
“The child comes to his first reader with his habits of spoken language
fairly well formed, and these habits grow more deeply set with every year.
His meanings inhere in this spoken language and belong but secondarily to
the printed symbols” (Huey, 1908/2009, p. 206).

 Three quarters of a century later, Gold & Johnson (1982) reported research
on the relationships of spoken language to reading as discussed in the
developmental model of reading formulated by Sticht et al. (1974) which
incorporated Huey’s ideas about the relationships of oral to written
language and quoted Huey as saying, "The simple fact is that the inner
saying or hearing of what is read seems to be the core of ordinary reading,
the 'thing in itself', so far as there is such a part of such a complex
process (p.100)”.

 Gold & Johnson (1982) state that according to the developmental model of
reading, the oral language processes of auding and speaking precede the
written language processes of reading and writing and  are predictive of
reading performance after decoding skills are acquired. They note that,
“While much of the data that support this model are based on studies of
children, some preliminary studies show the model to be valid for adult
beginning readers (Sticht, 1979)”.

 Gold & Johnson (1982) describe research using psychoeducational methods in
an oracy-to-literacy sequence of instruction in which oracy (oral language)
skills were first used to increase vocabulary and language comprehension
abilities which were then drawn upon in acquiring improved literacy
(written language) abilities. In summarizing their oracy-to-literacy
research, Gold & Johnson (1982) stated  that their outcomes “Substantiate
the validity of the developmental reading model for the adult beginning
reader” (p.521)

 Psychoeducation for Improving Family Literacy

 Recognizing the importance of developing oracy skills with children as a
means of improving their later literacy skills, Huey (1908/2009) noted “The
secret of it all lies in the parents’ reading aloud to and with the
child…at home there is scarcely a more commendable and useful practice than
that of reading much of good things aloud to the children.” But Huey also
recognized that many parents may be unprepared to foster the development of
their children’s oracy and literacy skills and advised that, “The school of
the future will have as one of its important duties the instruction of
parents in the means of assisting the child’s natural learning in the home.”

 Close to four decades following the work of Gold & Johnson (1982) on
applications of psychoeducational practices in adult literacy education,
Brown and colleagues (2020) published an article about applications of
psychoeducational practices which could help parents help their children
develop oracy and literacy skills. They note that, “. research has shown
that when literacy interventions in disadvantaged communities target both
children and adults, more literacy is achieved than when children are
targeted alone. This information, which can be disseminated through
psychoeducation across communities that offer educational resources, can
influence policy and benefit a greater number of individuals. As a result,
a solution that is empirically supported is promoted, and it offers more
far-reaching effects (Sticht, 2012
<https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-974?rskey=KRIiVm&result=1#acrefore-9780190264093-e-974-bibItem-0049>
).”

 Clymer, et al. (2017) offer insights into “a solution that is empirically
supported” and “offers more far-reaching effects” for improving the lives
of both children and their parents.  Following a thorough critique of
family literacy programs that work to increase parents and children’s
literacy  together, Clymer et al. (2017) conclude that *family literacy
programs* provide parents “…an important educational opportunity to develop
their own skills and to help their children progress in key academic
skills. From a broader perspective, family literacy offers a program model
that can enhance parents’ literacy and employability skills as well as lead
to postsecondary opportunities and family sustaining employment (p.13)”.

 For further information about the relationships of oracy and literacy and
their intergenerational transfer from parents to their children see Sticht
(2017). A good read for celebrating this Adult Education and Family
Literacy Week!

 References

 Brown, J., Russell, S., Hattouni, E. & Kincaid, A. (2020).
Psychoeducation. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Online at:
https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-974

 Clymer, C., Toso, B., Grinder, E., & Sander, R. (2017).  Changing the
course of family literacy. Policy Paper. Goodling Institute for Research in
Family Literacy. Online at:
https://eric.ed.gov/q=source%3A%22Goodling+Institute+for+Research+in+Family+Literacy%22&id=ED574448
<https://eric.ed.gov/?q=source%3A%22Goodling+Institute+for+Research+in+Family+Literacy%22&id=ED574448>

 Gold, P. C., & Johnson, J. A. (1982). Prediction of achievement in
reading, self-esteem, auding, and verbal language by adult illiterates in a
psychoeducational tutorial program. *Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38*(3),
513–522. Online at:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/5/j5j/papers/JCP1982.pdf

 Huey, E. (1908/2009). The psychology and pedagogy of reading. Newark, DE,
International Reading Association.

 Sticht, T., Beck, L., Hauke, R., Kleiman, G., & James, J.  (1974). Auding
and reading: A developmental model. Alexandria, Va.: Human Resources
Research Organization. Online at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED097641

 Sticht, T. (2012, November). Educated parents, educated children: Toward a
multiple life cycles education policy. Eddigest, Ann Arbor MI, Prakken
Publications. Online at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1002989

 Sticht, T. (2017). From oracy to literacy and back again: Investing in the
education of adults to improve the educability of their children. Online
at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320024919_From_Oracy_to_Literacy_and_Back_Again_Investing_in_the_Education_of_Adults_To_Improve_the_Educability_of_Children



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