Improving parent–child interactions through interactive reading workshops

Abstract

IntroductionMany authors agree on the importance of training parents in early literacy strategies. ObjectiveThis study analyses the effects of an intervention to improve parent–child interactions during reading sessions, using interactive reading techniques. MethodThe design is exploratory and includes a treatment group (n=22), which benefited from four interactive reading workshops, and a control group (n=18), which did not benefit from specific training. Both groups read the same books, three times a week, for 10weeks. The children come from middle socioeconomic backgrounds and attend preschool or kindergarten (grades 1–3). ResultsThe analyses were conducted on the basis of pre- and post-intervention video observations, coded using the Adult–Child Interactive Reading Inventory (ACIRI). Results from an ANCOVA show that parental behavior, and in turn child behavior, improves in post-intervention: parents improve their children's attention to the text and implement literacy strategies, while the children become more involved in the interactions. ConclusionInteractive reading workshops for parents improve the quantity and quality of parent–child interactions when reading books in a natural and playful context.