Parental Involvement in Reading Development

Research indicates that parental involvement in activities that support academic areas is directly correlated with reading achievement and development. This study stresses the importance of reading aloud to your child, the connections between reading aloud at home and at school, the value of implementing hands-on literacy based activities that integrate across the curriculum, and the impact of a good parent-teacher partnership. The study took place over a six-week intervention period for 20 interested first grade students and their parents/guardians. The participants were able to listen to a story which was read aloud, complete accompanying hands-on activities, and share feelings and attitudes in the "Author's Chair," in order to enhance reading and language development and skills. The results have indicated that through the family literacy intervention, the children's reading skills have improved, as well as the enhancement of their interest in reading and completing literacy based activities. (Contains 105 references and 3 tables of data. Appendixes contain pre- and posttest questionnaires [in English and Spanish], and a book report worksheet.) (Author/RS)