Involving parents
Early childhood professionals and teachers need to encourage children’s families to start reading with the children at home, from an early age.
In 3MR, we support early childhood professionals and teachers to engage families in reading aloud with their children and help them develop a reading culture at home.
How can we engage families to promote the practice
of reading with children at home?
Organise open reading sessions for parents and carers to show them how to read with their children.
Discuss the practice of reading with parents and carers: what, how, when, where to read. After an open reading session, engage family members in discussing the following:
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- What did you notice in your child’s reaction during the reading?
- What, if anything, surprised you about your child’s response to the book?
- What are your thoughts about reading aloud with your child at home?
Invite adult family members to read aloud with their children in the kindergarten.
Lend books to families.
Provide training for parent leaders about promoting family literacy and/or creating literate home environments.
In order to make parents understand the value of reading aloud picture books, they need to be introduced to the pleasure of this activity step by step.
In our opinion, open reading sessions are great opportunity for parents to learn to observe, notice and listen to their child’s reactions. Listen here to a 3MR trainer on parent involvement.
Just use your creativity to get on the same wavelength
with parents and carers!