Research taster

Parents often do a lot to help their children develop literacy skills without even realising it. Examples from one study show how parents can carry out everyday activities in the company of children which demonstrate the ways in which literacy skills are useful, for instance – reading instructions on a cake-mix packet with a child as part of baking together, responding to the instructions in an exaggerated manner to make them both funny and memorable and finally rereading the instructions when things appear to be going wrong – all helped children to see how reading helps with solving practical problems that mean something to them.

Your evidence 

What you know about the amount of informal reading your pupils do with their parents might help you to understand their progress in literacy better. It can also inform your discussions at parents’ evenings. You could develop a simple diary sheet like the one below and ask each child to complete it, for example, for one day at the weekend. Because some children see reading as only a formal activity you might want to discuss with children the types of texts they could include before starting.

Moving forward

Now you’ve got a picture of what type of texts parents and children read outside school, how can you help parents realise the value of what they’re doing, and encourage them to do more? Would it be feasible for you and colleagues to arrange a special event where you can discuss informal reading with parents? What opportunities are there for holding a meeting at a location other than school?

  Find out more

Find out more about the TLRP Home-school knowledge exchange project at: http://www.tlrp.org/project%20sites/HomeSchool/index.htm

Find out more about effective home-school liaisons at: http://www.gtce.org.uk/policyandresearch/research/ROMtopics/parentalrom/