Beginning Reading and Sending Books Home to Read: a case for some fine tuning[1]

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sending books home is a distinctive practice in beginning reading instruction in New Zealand. There has been little systematic description of how the practice typically operates. As part of a larger study of collaboration between communities and schools, information was collected from interviews with J1 classroom teachers and parents in 19 primary schools. Their responses revealed a normative practice. Almost all parents and teachers participated in the practice and considered parents should participate at this level. It was found that both teachers and parents believe the parental role is one of support and that little specific information on how to hear children read is shared between school and home. The results are interpreted as showing a generally robust practice but the need for more fine tuning with a redefinition of roles to maximise its developmental potential.