Early Reading Together is:

• a low-cost group programme comprising 3 x 1hr15min workshops, spread over three weeks (for further information, see overview of workshops)
• a programme which helps parents of young children (babies to 5 and 6 year olds) to support their children's language and literacy development at home
• designed to enhance the language and literacy practices of the home
• specifically designed to support children and parents from diverse language/literacy, cultural, educational and socio-economic backgrounds
• practical, user friendly, enjoyable and manageable for teachers, parents, librarians and children
• based on a sound theoretical and research framework
• implemented on a voluntary basis by junior school teachers, early childhood educators and librarians

Early Reading Together is designed to help parents:

• Understand more fully the ways in which talking with young children and reading to them (from the time they are babies) helps the child's language and literacy development
• Explore additional ways of supporting children's language and reading development when they are reading stories and rhymes, and singing songs together
• Find out more about books, rhymes and songs which are suitable for young children and enjoyable for them
• Borrow books and other resources from libraries and access support from librarians, if they are not already doing so