Working with Parents to Enhance Reading Skills
As educators, we know that working with parents in the educational process can positively impact a child’s reading development. The research consistently shows that parents can be instrumental allies in building children’s literacy skills if they are properly informed about how to support their children at home.
As you prepare for parent-teacher conferences, this is the perfect opportunity to focus on the progress each child is making in reading and discuss ways to strengthen the partnership between home and school.
Talking with Parents About Reading Progress
One common concern voiced by parents is that they often feel uncertain about how to help their children beyond simply listening to them read. To make the most of your conversations with parents, it’s essential to provide them with concrete strategies tailored to their child’s specific strengths and weaknesses in reading.
For example, if a child struggles with phonics, suggest that parents incorporate fun phonics games at home or use flashcards for essential sight words. Conversely, if a child is already excelling in reading comprehension but struggling with fluency, parents could help by encouraging reading aloud together or discussing the stories they read.
By arming parents with targeted strategies, you empower them to become more effective supporters of their child’s literacy development.
Effective communication between home and school can lead to greater educational gains for every child no matter their level of proficiency. When parents and teachers collaborate to address a child’s unique behaviors and needs, the impact of that partnership is profound.
It’s vital to ensure that parents are aware not only of their children’s current reading levels but also understand the clear, actionable steps they can take to help at home. Using parent-teacher conferences as a platform for this exchange can foster a more supportive and enriched learning environment.
Preparing for Parent-Educator Conferences
In preparing for these conferences, take a moment to reflect on each child’s reading progress. What specific areas can parents focus on to provide the best support? Could a child benefit from regular reading routines or specific activities designed to enhance comprehension?
By engaging in this thoughtful process, you’ll be better equipped to articulate a clear plan for parents, aligning home practices with classroom instructional goals.
Working with parents is essential for supporting developing readers in the classroom. By providing parents with clear guidance and actionable strategies, schools can build a bridge between home and classroom that promotes consistent reading practices and enhances student achievement.
With your support, parents will feel confident in their ability to contribute to their child’s literacy journey, ultimately leading to happier and more successful readers.
If you enjoyed this post, you may like: Strengthening Reading Skills by Reading Aloud
For more tips on how to build strong reading skills, see Karen Tankersley’s The Threads of Reading: Strategies for Literacy Development.
You may also enjoy reading a blog post by Dr. Timothy Shanahan titled 11 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Read.
