Family Literacy: Young Children Learning to Read and Write

In 1983 when Family Literacy first appeared, the term was new. Denny Taylor not only coined a concept, but opened up a field of study that involves debate and discussion in public as well as academic circles. Encouraged by Taylor's probing questions, our understanding of the term "literacy" has deepened during the past two decades.

- Yetta M. Goodman, from the new foreword

In her attempt to find out more about literacy activities within the family context, Denny Taylor spent three years doing field work with six families. At the time of the study, each of the families contained a child who was considered by his or her parents to be successfully learning to read and write. This study attempts to develop systematic ways of looking at reading and writing as activities which have consequences in, and are affected by, family life.