Other Participants' Comments about Early Reading Together®

Parents' Comments

Parents who participate in the Early Reading Together® workshops report that they enjoy the activities and being involved in the workshops e.g.

I really enjoyed the session.
'Di Tri Berrese' was so funny.
I'm looking forward to the next workshop.

Parents also report that they develop a range of understandings as a result of their involvement including:

• the importance of discussing the pictures with their child
• the importance of being relaxed about reading, and to enjoy books
• the central role that children's experiences and prior knowledge play in choosing suitable books e.g. one parent said: We had a lot of success from a story with a name in it the same as James' uncle - even though it was a pig in the story!

Parents also report that their participation helps them to:

• have more realistic expectations for their children
• spend more time reading books and discussing pictures with their children e.g. one parent commented that her son ... will voluntarily tell me about the pictures now.
• look for new types of books to read to their children
• encourage their older children to read to their siblings e.g. an older child was overheard saying to his younger brother: Come on Morgan. I'll read you a story.

Parents genuinely appreciate the support of the Workshop Leaders and this is reflected in their feedback e.g.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to take part in your workshops.
I am grateful to the teachers involved for their time and effort that they are prepared to put into the programme for the benefit of our children.

Workshop Leaders' Comments

A positive and supportive atmosphere among parents develops quickly:

The parents enjoyed reading 'Di Tri Berrese'. They worked well in their small groups, and bounced ideas off each other. We heard lots of laughing, and at this stage everyone appeared very relaxed.

The demonstrations are very effective:

The discussion from this demonstration continued for quite some time. Parents offered their ideas, asked questions, and volunteered information about their family (including reading problems they experienced with other children in their family).

Parents share the programme materials (e.g. Di Tri Berrese, Boz) at home and talk about the benefits this sharing has for children and other whānau:

The parents had tried these stories on their husbands and friends. The husbands commented how frustrated they felt, and some said they would try to be more patient reading with their children.