In a chapter of the newly published book "" Ruby Joseph, MPA, associate in research in the Department of Child and Family Studies and evaluator for the Family Literacy Initiative/Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (FLI/HIPPY), explores how the FLI/HIPPY program has evolved and has been adapted to the Liberian context.
The chapter outlines ongoing evaluation methods and emerging findings, demonstrating how HIPPY 鈥� a structured family literacy program implemented in the U.S. and 13 other countries 鈥� can be effectively introduced in Liberia, despite its vastly different socio-economic, cultural, and educational landscape.
Published by the book, according to its afterward, addresses a critical gap in academic literature, which has historically centered on family and intergenerational literacy and learning programs in high-income, English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Much of this research has overlooked informal family learning dynamics and intergenerational relationships in non-English-speaking and low- to middle-income countries.
To fill this void, the volume brings together a diverse collection of projects, including theoretical discussions, policy analysis, research, and practical applications from across the globe. Special attention is given to initiatives based in non-Anglophone (non-English speaking), lower-income settings.
By presenting diverse geographic and cultural perspectives, the book fosters cross-border dialogue and knowledge exchange. It also deepens scholarly understanding of how family literacy 鈥� both as a concept and as a practice 鈥� is shaped by unique historical, social, and political contexts around the world.