To what extent can parent and teacher collaboration in a DEIS setting impact on the shared reading experience in the home with young children?

Abstract

Shared reading is a particular type of reading whereby the adult engages in repeated readings of a book with a child over a period of time. The concept behind shared reading is that through repeated readings, the child becomes familiar with the book. This familiarity allows the child to recognise a series of events while remembering new words and phrases which are repeated throughout the book. In addition to this, re-reading a story enables the child to develop deeper understandings of the book. This study examines parents’ perceptions of reading in general, then more specifically, their opinions of the shared reading project. In further detail, this research aims to discover what the current reading practice is in the homes of children who attend a DEIS Band 1 school. In addition to this, the researcher aims to determine whether children’s vocabularies can develop at home as a result of engaging in shared reading with their parents. Finally, it is intended to explore whether shared reading is a possible strategy that can aim to narrow the ‘vocabulary gap’. This study follows a qualitative approach to data collection. It was decided to implement the shared reading project for a duration of five weeks in order to allow parents to have direct interaction with shared reading. Furthermore, the data was collected using a focus group prior to the shared reading project and semi-structured interviews were then conducted. A personal diary was kept throughout the shared reading project to log the researcher’s observations. Overall, it was foreseen that this data would provide the researcher with an insight into parents’ perspectives of shared reading in the home. The findings from this study show that both the parents and children felt positivity about shared reading. In addition to this, the parents believed that their children’s vocabulary knowledge was expanded through engaging in repeated readings. Furthermore, the parents also gained the skill of shared reading which they can continue to implement in their home in order to enhance their child’s language abilities. Lastly, it was evident that the shared reading project created a positive reading environment in the home. It is concluded that parent and teacher collaboration in a DEIS setting can heighten the reading experience in the home. When parents upskill with the help of their child’s teacher, it is likely they feel more capable of reading in an effective manner. Moreover, when a reading routine has been established the parents will read more effectively and frequently with their child. In addition to this, the parents will focus on reading with the purpose of developing vocabulary knowledge, instead of solely reading for pleasure.