[Reading-hall-of-fame] Mother's day 2023

[Thomas Sticht]

*5/12/2023*

*Mother’s Day: Celebrating Mothers as the Elixir of Children’s Literacy*

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

Sunday May 14, 2023 is Mother’s Day in the United States. Adult literacy
educators have long known about the importance of educating mothers or
mothers-to-be for the educational development of children. Here is a small
selection of articles and other published works spanning almost a century
demonstrating the importance of mother’s education on the subsequent
development of children's literacy.





*1929 - Stewart, C. (1929). Mother’s First Book: A First Reader for Home
Women. (Available online using a Google search). *

In 1929, Cora Wilson Stewart, founder of the famous Moonlight Schools of
Kentucky, wrote a book called “Mother’s First Book: A First Reader for Home
Women.” The lessons are centered around the home and the daily activities …
they aim not only at teaching women to read and write, but at leading them
to better home practices and higher ideals in their home and community
life” (Stewart, 1929, pp. 5-6).

*1990 - Sticht, T. & McDonald, B. (1990). Teach the Mother and Reach the
Child: Literacy across  Generations. Literacy Lessons, UNESCO. Online
at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED321063 <https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED321063>*

Significant reductions in adult illiteracy can be achieved most
cost-effectively by focusing more resources on the education of women.
These monies contribute not only to women's development but also to the
educational achievement of their children. Educated mothers have more
influence on their children's education; the children become literate
adults who, in turn, produce more educable children. Maternal education
also has an effect on fertility rates and the mortality and health of
children. The contribution of educated mothers to the cognitive and
language skills of preschool children gives the children an advantage and
continues to affect their educational success.


*2012 - LeVine, R., LeVine, S., Schnell-Anzola, B., Rowe, M., & Dexter, E.
(2012.Literacy and Mothering: How Women’s Schooling Changes the Lives of
the World's Children. Oxford University Press. **Online
at: https://academic.oup.com/book/3384 <https://academic.oup.com/book/3384>*



Data are presented on the literacy skills and maternal behavior of mothers
in four countries – Mexico, Nepal, Venezuela and Zambia – finding that
literacy and language skills acquired in school were retained into a
woman’s child-bearing years, that literacy mediates the effect of schooling
on a mother’s comprehension of health messages in print and broadcast media
and on her health navigation skill … Literacy also influences mothers’
tendencies to talk and read to their young children. (see review of book
online at: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/12/09/illiteracy)



*Sticht, T. (2018), Educating mothers to increase family literacy. Online
at: **https://www.proliteracy.org/Blogs/Article/373/Educating-Mothers-to-Increase-Family-Literacy
<https://www.proliteracy.org/Blogs/Article/373/Educating-Mothers-to-Increase-Family-Literacy>*
Research by Wider Opportunities for Women found that mothers enrolled in
basic skills (literacy, numeracy) education, often integrated with job
training, reported that they spoke more with their children about school,
they read to them more, they took them to the library more and so forth.
These increases in cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors of the mothers’
children happened even though there was no teaching of these types of
parenting activities. These types of changes in the parenting behaviors of
the mothers was obtained for free as a spin-off of adult basic skills
programs.

*2022 – Lyesmaya, D., Musthafa, B., & Sunendar, D. (2022. The Role of
Mother’s Education and Early Skills in Language and Literacy Learning
Opportunities, International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational
Research. Online
at: https://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/5752
<https://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/5752>*



Mother’s education and learners’ early abilities were positively correlated
with learners’ language and literacy learning opportunities. Learners who
have mothers with a high level of education receive significant
opportunities to learn language and literacy compared to those with mothers
with a low level of education. Therefore, their language skills are
superior…. Mother’s education and child’s early skills really help children
in language and literacy learning.



*2023 – Yu, S. (2023). The Influence of Mothers’ Educational Level on
Children’s*

*Comprehensive Quality. **Journal of Education, Humanities and Social
Sciences. Online at: **https://drpress.org/ojs/index.php/EHSS/article/view/4461
<https://drpress.org/ojs/index.php/EHSS/article/view/4461>*



Effects  of mothers’ education on the comprehensive quality of children in
three dimensions: Firstly, with regard to physical quality, mothers’
education level strengthens the prevention and treatment of illness and
diseases and also fosters a healthier living lifestyle for children.
Secondly, mothers’ education level benefits the development of children’s
cognitive quality, individuality quality, and adaptability quality.
Thirdly, children’s science and cultural literacy are affected by educated
mothers.



Yu’s paper sums up many reasons for celebrating the contributions of
mothers to the literacy development and other developmental outcomes of
children:



*“In conclusion, mothers with higher educational attainment can promote the
comprehensive quality of their children and help support the sustainable
development of society.”*



*Thanks for everything, Moms!*




*Definition: Elixir: Cambridge English Dictionary:  a substance, usually a
liquid, with a magical power to cure, improve, or preserve something.*

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