There is strong research evidence showing the positive difference it makes when parents and family members get involved in a child’s education. Parental involvement in encouraging reading is key. Children whose families read for pleasure are more likely to take it for granted that reading is a worthwhile activity. National Literacy Trust , UK
Parents are a child’s first educator and have the greatest influence on a child’s educational development. This important fact is borne out by a wide range of research that can be summed up by the following conclusion: “Parental involvement in their child’s reading has been found to be the most important determinant of language and emergent literacy.” (Bus, van Ijzendoorn and Pellegrini, 1995).
When family members talk, sing, share books, take their children to the library; they help children develop important literacy skills. RAW seeks to engage parents in children’s and young people’s education helping parents understand what they can do to work with the school. The projects hope to help parents understand the importance of their role in helping their child’s literacy and to give them very simple approaches to enable this to happen in the home.
Key facts:
- Parental involvement in their children’s learning positively affects the child’s performance at school, both in Primary and Secondary school.
- The impact is regardless of ethnic background, family income, maternal level of education, or child’s gender.
- Numerous studies have shown that children who grow up in a stimulating home environment – one which has great emphasis on learning opportunities – do better academically, regardless of socio-economic background.
- Parental involvement has a significant effect on children’s achievement and adjustment even after all other factors (such as social class, maternal education and poverty) have been taken out of the equation between children’s aptitudes and their achievement.
- Parental involvement leads to greater problem-solving skills, greater school enjoyment, better school attendance, fewer behavioural problems at school, and greater social and emotional development.
Resources for Parents
Storytelling Tips
Resources for Parents
Storytelling Tips
