Reasons for Success of Reading Together®

  • Meets a real need felt by parents and teachers to support children's/teenagers' reading, especially those who are struggling.
  • Programme has a specific focus i.e. Reading (recognised by all parents as being important), and specific ways of helping at home.
  • Voluntary involvement (since 1982) of keen, capable teachers and librarians who work effectively with parents/whānau and children.
  • Non-threatening, enjoyable, activity-based workshops.
  • Works across a range of:
    » socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups (including settings in which parents are not confident speakers of English)
    » child and parental literacy levels
    » age levels (5-15 year olds)
    » contexts (e.g. parents/whānau helping at home, volunteers helping at school i.e. parents/adults and/or senior students)
  • No cost for parents.
  • Time commitment relatively low:
    » for parents: 1 hour 15 minutes per workshop, 4 workshops over 7 weeks, plus 15 minutes 4 or 5 times a week helping child(ren) at home
    » for Workshop Leaders: some time required initially, but less time once familiar with programme
  • Support and involvement of principals, teachers, librarians, professional associations, community members/groups and other educators throughout New Zealand.
  • Reading Together® is based on understandings from the following areas of educational research and theory:
    » reading and learning to read
    » family processes and children's literacy learning
    » partnerships between schools, families and communities

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