A Program to Help Prepare Pre-Schoolers for Reading.

Parents of young children are very often concerned with their child’s pre-reading and beginning reading development. They want to know what they can do to help their child have a good start in this critically important skill. All too frequently parents do not have the information available to them to help their children. this article describes a local project designed to provide parents with ideas and information that should contribute to their children’s maximum opportunity for success when formal school instruction begins. Although each parent-child relationship should be treated individually, there are some pre-reading experiences whicch are applicable to most family situations. A PROGRAM TO HELP PREPARE PRE-SCHOOLERS FOR READING Rona F. Flippo UNIVERSITY OF WISCorJSIN-PARKSIDE Helen Branch A TLANT A PUBLIC SCHOOLS Parents of young children are very often concerned with their child's pre-reading and beginning reading developnent. They want to know what they can do to help their child have a good start in this critically important skill. All too frequently parents do not have the information available to them to help their children. This article describes a local project designed to provide parents with ideas and information that should contribute to their children's maxirrrurn opportunity for success when formal school instruction begins. Although each parent-child relationship should be treated indi vidually , there are some pre-reading experiences which are applicable to most family situations. Relevant Research and Literature The research and literature in the fields of reading and early childhood education have provided evidence that parent education and involvement do have a positive effect on young children's success in school and reading related skills. MacLaren ( 1 cti:J) found that providing parents with information about the process of learning to read significantly influenced the reading achievement of their first grade students. Perez (1972) ·was interested in learning whether or not parents who were gi ven appropriate instruction and materials could significantly improve oral language concepts and visual motor skills. She found significant differences between children of parents given instruction on pre-reading activities versus those not receiving instruction. Reading should have a place of high priority in the homes of young children. The research has indicated this conclusively. Rankin (1967) identified four behaviors that are related to the development of children's interest in reading. Mothers had children read aloud, asked children to tell parents what stories they had read, mothers read to themselves at home, and parents read magazines at home. Durkin (1961) studied children who read before grade one. In assessing the literary background of these children, she found: (a) children were read to regularly at home, and (b) parents had a high regard for reading. Parents also took time to answer the children's questions. McWilliams and Cunningham (1976) further emphasize: "The importance of parent involvement in the reading process has been supported again and again by research as well as personal experiences of reading teachers. It is essential that parents be involved and support their children's