Young children and a school community open pathways for a grandmother's literacy

• Published in: Issues in educational research Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 1106 - 1124
• Main Authors: María del Socorro Ocampo-Castillo, Regina Gairal-Casado, Maria Rosa Valls-Carol, Itxaso Tellado
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Perth, WA Institutes for Educational Research in NSW, SA and WA 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Community and school; Continuing education; Education; Family (Sociological Unit); Interviews; Learning; Literacy; Semi Structured Interviews; Social aspects; Study and teaching
• ISSN: 0313-7155; 1837-6290

One current challenge highlighted by the United Nations is to increase the number of adults who achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030. This article focuses on one experience from an underprivileged Mexican school that implements Family Education, a Successful Educational Action. Following a communicative methodology, we conducted a communicative life story, five semi-structured interviews with agents of the school involved in family education, two observations and a review of internal school reports. The results present a personal story of success that shows the impact that family education has had on the literacy of Maria, a woman who had never attended school before. The love and support of her granddaughter as a student from the same school, the transgenerational literacy interactions reinforced by the learning communities model, and the support of the school's educational staff and volunteers have enabled not only her literacy but also her becoming a leading woman in her community.