Activities Directed Toward The Empowerment of Illiterate Parents of Roma Children Cover Image

Aktivnosti usmjerene osnaživanju nepismenih roditelja romske djece
Activities Directed Toward The Empowerment of Illiterate Parents of Roma Children

Author(s): Maja Kutnjak
Subject(s): Preschool education, School education, Social development, Social differentiation, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet
Keywords: family environment; early childhood development; Roma children; assessment of literacy of parents;

Summary/Abstract: This paper discusses the relationship between the quality of family environment and the socio-economic status of families with regard to the impact of the impoverished family environment and educational level of parents on the early development of children. In particular it stresses the results of national surveys which indicate that Roma children are one of the most vulnerable groups of children. The paper also presents some practical guidelines for the inclusion of illiterate parents and highlights a number of programs for children of preschool and early school age and their parents from lower SES aimed at encouraging the development of literacy and other cognitive skills in children and empower parents to meet the requirements of their parental role. As one of the initial steps in the process of enhancing the cooperation and empowerment of Roma children’s parents, the paper presents research conducted by teachers and Roma assistants at Tomaš Goričanac Elementary School in Mala Subotica in the Roma settlement of Piškorovec. The main objective of the study was to determine the educational structure and the level of literacy of the adult population in Piškorovec in order to use the results for planning an intervention program which will be based on the assessed needs.

  • Issue Year: 52/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 127-139
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Croatian