Improving Phonological Awareness in Parents of Children at Risk of Literacy Difficulties: A Preliminary Evaluation of the Boost Program

Mark E Boyes,Gemma Boyle,Mandy Nayton,Alison Perry,Mary Claessen,Suze Leitão,Peta Dzidic

doi:10.3389/feduc.2017.00047

Mark E Boyes, Gemma Boyle + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2017.00047

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Abstract

Background: Phonological awareness is an important skill underpinning the development of early literacy. Given the central role of parents in supporting the development of children’s early literacy skills, and that poor parental phonological awareness is associated with poorer child literacy outcomes, it is possible that improving parent phonological awareness may aid literacy development for at-risk children. This study is a preliminary evaluation of a program aiming to improve phonological awareness skills of parents in low socioeconomic status communities, and also provide these parents with strategies to support their child’s literacy development. Methods: After completing the program, participants were asked if it had helped them learn about how to assist their child’s reading and spelling, whether they planned on using the resources provided, and if they would be likely to attend a future workshop building on the Boost program. Phonological awareness measures (rhyme, syllable, and phoneme level), and measures of overall confidence in performance on the phonological awareness tasks, were administered both before and after attending the program. Results: Almost all parents indicated that the program helped with learning how to assist their child’s reading and spelling, that they would use the resources provided, and would likely attend a future workshop. Significant increases in pre- to post-program phonological awareness scores were obtained at the rhyme and phoneme level. Conclusion: The program and associated resources appear acceptable to parents in communities with high rates of literacy problems and improved parents’ phonological awareness skills. However, findings are preliminary and further evaluation using more rigorous methodologies and testing whether improvements in parents’ phonological awareness translate into better literacy outcomes for children is needed.

Highlights

25% of students in Australia achieve literacy levels at or below minimum standards (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2012; Hempenstall, 2016)
Improving Phonological Awareness in Parents of three major inquiries into the teaching of reading (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000; Rowe and National Inquiry into the Teaching of Reading, 2005; Rose, 2009) have provided strong evidence for the important role played by phonological awareness in the development of foundational reading skills (Hempenstall, 2016; Snow, 2016)
Given the central role of parents in supporting the development of children’s early literacy skills and that poor parental phonological awareness is associated with poorer child literacy outcomes (Heath et al, 2014), it is plausible that improving parent phonological awareness may aid literacy development for at-risk children

Summary

Introduction

25% of students in Australia achieve literacy levels at or below minimum standards (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2012; Hempenstall, 2016). Given the central role of parents in supporting the development of children’s early literacy skills (i.e., reading and spelling) and that poor parental phonological awareness is associated with poorer child literacy outcomes (Heath et al, 2014), it is plausible that improving parent phonological awareness may aid literacy development for at-risk children. Given the central role of parents in supporting the development of children’s early literacy skills, and that poor parental phonological awareness is associated with poorer child literacy outcomes, it is possible that improving parent phonological awareness may aid literacy development for at-risk children. This study is a preliminary evaluation of a program aiming to improve phonological awareness skills of parents in low socioeconomic status communities, and provide these parents with strategies to support their child’s literacy development

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