le Roux, Babette
Babette has extensive experience as a primary school teacher as well as a learning support educator. As professional advisor for a teacher union she also provided professional development workshops for teachers. Babette is currently working as an early learning consultant, focusing on the development of emergent literacy.

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child's literacy development. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to the many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children's literacy development. This South African study investigated the role of a home-school partnership programme to support young learners' emergent literacy development. The study demonstrates the positive impact even a limited, well-designed family literacy programme can have for educators, parents, children and the community. Based on key findings recommendations are made that should not only assist schools and school communities in designing and implementing family literacy programmes, but also guide policy makers in providing for a strong policy framework that will support and promote a partnership approach.