Parental involvement in reading remediation with young children

Abstract

In an era of increasing educational need and decreasing resources, school psychologists must be aware of alternatives to school‐based learning. This article reviews research on the effectiveness of parental involvement in improving elementary school‐aged children's reading skills. Studies have shown that parents can contribute to the remediation and maintenance of children's reading ability, but that parents want and need training in specific methods of reading with their children. Direct Instruction and Paired Reading are presented as viable methods to teach parents of poor readers. The authors issue a call for further research comparing various home reading methods. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Parent involvement and reading: Using curriculum‐based measurement to assess the effects of paired reading

“…Fitton & Gredler, 1996;Hook & DuPaul, 1999), and PR has been the focus of numerous studies. In general, these studies have shown support for PR; however, some have produced confl icting results.…”

“…This is viewed as a positive aspect of PR in that the child may be more interested in reading material that is self-selected (Fitton & Gredler, 1996). However, this may lead to frustration in reading if the child chooses material that is too diffi cult for his/her ability level (Miller & Kratochwill, 1996).Also, Duvall et al (1992) found that providing material for home tutoring similar to that used for instruction at school generalized to increased profi ciency in school material.…”

“…However, this may lead to frustration in reading if the child chooses material that is too diffi cult for his/her ability level (Miller & Kratochwill, 1996).Also, Duvall et al (1992) found that providing material for home tutoring similar to that used for instruction at school generalized to increased profi ciency in school material. Fitton and Gredler (1996) proposed that although children may initially make mistakes in choosing material that is either too easy or too diffi cult, they will eventually fi nd the appropriate level. This has not been investigated in PR research.…”

Parent participation in children’ school readiness: The effects of parental self-efficacy, cultural diversity and teacher strategies

“…Programs that promote the parent as teacher (PAT) provide parents with the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to enhance children's readiness for school (e.g., Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, 1999). Parental involvement is optimized when parents are given guidance and support in understanding child development and learning (Fitton & Gredler, 1996;Griffith, 1996;Reynolds et aI., 1996). Fostering strong home-school connections assists in the development of these skills and contributes to a smooth transition for all children, and is particularly important for children from low-income and minority families, since many schools in North America operate within a traditional middle-class framework (Olmstead, 1991).…”

“…Parental self-efficacy beliefs have been shown to significantly predict children's academic abilities among former Head Start families who participated in a transition demonstration intervention that followed families from kindergarten into elementary school (Seefeldt, Denton, Galper, & Younoszai, 1999). Programs that validate social and cultural experience, recognize parental beliefs and expectations, and train parents in specific skills can empower parents to become proactive teachers and advocates for their children (e.g., Johnson, Walker, & Rodriguez, 1996;Okagaki & Frensch, 1998;Pettit, Bates, & Dodge, 1997;Delgado-Gaitan, 1991;Fitton & Gredler, 1996).…”