26
Parental Involvement
“Time to read at home revealed a significant increase which
would again suggest that reading for pleasure was being valued
within the home environment …anecdotal comments from
parents during consultation evenings indicated that this was as a
result of the implementation programme within school.”
(LiRe Researcher from the UK)
Step-by-Step Description
Parents assemble at appointed time and are invited to classroom when session is about
to start
•
Teacher introduces Interest bags (See above).
•
Teacher models reading the story to the children and parents observe.
•
Group work with parent participation follows. The children work in groups of
four/five, e.g. on activities as follows.
o
Group one children draw a picture of the story and discuss it with
parents;
o
Group two children discuss the story/retell/answer simple questions
assisted by parents;
o
Group three children role-play, e.g. “Let’s go shopping” for food
theme, etc.
•
Parents remain at one station while children move between activities.
•
After the forty-minute session ends, parents and children are thanked.
•
They meet again in a week’s time. Six sessions take place in total.
•
At the end of the sixth session, a small party is organized and certificates are
awarded to both children and parents.
•
Parents are encouraged to create, exchange and take home with them new
interest bags to use with their children.
Sources
St. Vincent’s Convent Primary School, St. Mary’s Road, Cork (Ireland).
