Family Learning is still not a well known topic in the European public. Therefore, the European Family Learning Network (EFLN) aims for providing families information on education possibilities, exchange of expertise and good practices.

The overall aim of the project is to establish a European Family Learning network and to identify new priorities and raise the profile of Family Learning through Europe. Family Learning involves formal and informal learning within the family as well as family members learning together. The following part will further show how best practices are spread by the EFLN.

One example of best practice as published in the European Family Learning Network´s Newsletter is a UK project in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (children´s centres). The project "Parents as Partners in Early Learning" is part of the national strategy and runs since September 2007. In this project children and their parents find out about fractions in a fun and healthy way by cutting brown-bread sandwiches into halves and quarters. During the family numeracy session, parents and children worked together whereas parents went on working on more advanced fractions after their children returned to class. Another example from the same Borough is a market place which has been installed by parents in order to teach their children how bargaining functions. The children firstly had to decide on the price of a toy and write a price tag. Afterwards, by playing the customer, the stall holder and using real money, the children could learn how to deal with money.

Another example of best practice which was published in the latest newsletter concerns the "Ongi Ongella Programme" from Malta. The Programme supports families to prepare their children for school. Furthermore, the Programme provides assistance to parents to help their children develop literacy skills, positive school performance as well as stronger social and emotional development. The programme had been developed by the Maltese Foundation for Educational Service has been dealing with Family Literacy since its creation in 2006.

The European Family Learning Network is a multilateral project funded by the European Commission through Grundtvig 4.

(InfoNet - Simone Kaufhold)

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