A new approach to parental involvement in language intervention programmes.

Abstract

The approach used was based around the concept of a videocourse. This consisted of five videotape programmes illustrating ways thereby parents can help their child's early language development, a handbook which summarized main points and a series of specific activities which parents were expected to carry out at home after viewing each programme. In all, 33 mothers and fathers have taken the course and their reactions are very favourable. More importantly though, the course did bring about significant changes in the way they talked to their children and marked improvements in most of the children's language usage. These were maintained some 4 months after the course had ended. It is argued that videocourses are easily disseminated to other services and thus seem to be a feasible way whereby all parents can have the opportunity to get specific and detailed information on helping their child's language development.