Literacy in the Welcoming Classroom

Nearly every reform effort espouses the importance of parent involvement.” This research-based guide is essential reading for teachers and administrators who want to make welcoming classrooms a reality. With a focus on literacy instruction, it showcases stories of what works” when teachers in elementary school classrooms throughout the country partner with families across cultural and language differences. The author showcases effective strategies that educators can adapt to fit their own school communities. This book is perfect for professional study groups, parent–teacher discussions, and whole-school workshops. This follow-up to JoBeth Allen’s bestselling Creating Welcoming Schools features up-to-date research on family involvement that has been shown to make a difference for students’ literacy learning, and demonstrates how teachers and families can collaborate through projects such as dialogue journals, photography and writing projects, and critical literacy inquiry.

JoBeth Allen is a professor of Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia, who works closely with schools. She codirects the Red Clay Writing Project and authored Creating Welcoming Schools: A Practical Guide to Home-School Partnerships with Diverse Families.