The Literacy Link: Connecting Parents Who Are Incarcerated With Their Young Children Through Reading Aloud

Authors

• Mary Campbell Wood, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
• Heidi Ungrodt, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
• Pamela Wedig-Kirsch, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
• Ronda Davis, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
• Jacqueline Buck, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow
• Lindsay A Weymouth, University of Wisconsin-MadisonFollow

Volume

64

Issue

2

Abstract

Parental incarceration is consequential for children. Outreach strategies can maintain parent–child relationships during incarceration. The Literacy Link connects parents in jail and prison with their children through two strategies: a dialogic reading workshop and a recorded book reading program. Over 3 years, we implemented these strategies with parents in jails and prisons located in 12 counties. We surveyed parents and the caregivers with whom children live during their parents' incarceration. Parents reported improvements in attitudes and confidence related to reading aloud. Most parents and caregivers reported that these strategies provided a connection between parents and children during incarceration.

Authors’ Contribution Statement

MCW, HU, and PWK designed the outreach programs described in the article. LW, MCW, HU, and PWK developed the program evaluation. LW and JB analyzed the program evaluation data. MCW, LW, HU, PWK, RD, and JB contributed to data interpretation. MCW, LW, HU, RD, PWK, and JB drafted the original manuscript, revised the content after review, and approved the final version for publication.

Data Availability

The data are not publicly available due to privacy/ethical restrictions, as they contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Wood, M., Ungrodt, H., Wedig-Kirsch, P., Davis, R., Buck, J., & Weymouth, L. (2026). The Literacy Link: Connecting Parents Who Are Incarcerated With Their Young Children Through Reading Aloud. Journal of Extension, 64(2), Article 28. https://doi.org/10.66752/1077-5315.5704