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It is a well- known fact among language experts that a student or adult who is proficient in his or her native language has the ability to transfer these skills to a second language. As demonstrated in many studies, a person’s prior linguistic knowledge facilitates the acquisition of the second language. 

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When a person is illiterate in his or her native tongue, there is a significant delay in the development of the second language. Parents who come from poor countries where schooling is not required are deprived of the education and native language development that is needed to learn English. Consequently, they have minimal social interactions with the majority culture, and less avenues for progressing economically. The parents’ relationship and communication with their children are also hampered as their children progress in English and their parents cannot develop these skills.

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The CSFHC Native Language Literacy Program was designed to address the native language literacy skills of our parents in order to provide a basis for the future acquisition of the second language. This program elevates the self-esteem and confidence of parents and in turn positively impacts the entire family. It also motivates parents to pursue further education and career training.  The CSFHC Native Language Literacy Program establishes the value of education and the role parents play in their own education and that of their children.