Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading —
Abstract of

Chapter 56
Literacy for All Children in the Increasingly Diverse Schools of the United States

Claude Goldenberg

In the United States, as in many countries, ambitious goals have been set for student achievement. As the author notes, “Attaining these education goals is essential if we are to make schools work for all students. How do we do this for children from low-income families who are linguistically and culturally different from the U.S. mainstream? Each year these children and their families make up a greater percentage of the U.S. population. How do we make schools work for them so that all children get off to a good start on the road to literacy? Not surprising, there are no simple answers. The answers depend on a wide range of considerations having to do with the nature of early literacy and how best to promote it....” The author goes on to explore the influence of socioeconomic status, language, and culture on children's formal schooling; and what parent involvement (home-school connections or partnerships) can and should be.

Goldenberg, C. (2004). Literacy for All Children in the Increasingly Diverse Schools of the United States. In R.B. Ruddell, & N.J. Unrau (Eds.), Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading (pp. 1636-1666). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.