Date of Award

1995

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Education Honours

School

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Education

First Supervisor

Dr Mary Rohl

Abstract

The literature reviewed in this thesis shows that many successful reading programmes have been carried out by parents and teachers working together, sharing the responsibility for developing children's reading skills. Research studies have also shown that parents want more feedback and assistance on how to help their children with reading. The purpose of this study was to investigate two areas of home reading, that Is parents reading to their children and children reading to their parents. The study examined what parents said they did with their children when their children read to them. It also examined the frequency with which parents read stories to their children and the beliefs that parents had about this practice. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 149 parents of children In Grades 2, 3 and 4 In one non-government primary school. The data indicated that many parents In this study did not encourage their children to practise before reading aloud, encouraged the use of sounding out as the main strategy for recognizing difficult words and immediately prompted their children to correct any mistakes made. The results suggested that these parents may have been influenced by their own educational experiences in reading from 15-25 years ago. Nevertheless, a number of parents in this study appeared to be aware of changes in reading methods adopted in schools In the past 5-10 years and said that they were using a wider range of procedures and strategies with their children. The majority of children were read stories several times a week, although some children were read stories less frequently. Many of the parents were apparently aware of the benefits of reading stories to their children, such as developing a positive attitude towards reading and modelling reading behaviours. The study highlighted the need for teachers to take the initiative in providing more Information and guidance to parents to keep them informed of school reading policies and of recent research in reading. With this in mind, it is the intention of the researcher to follow up this study with a parent/teacher Information session.

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