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Often, when teachers and
other people involved with education talk about "parental
involvement", it is assumed that they mean mothers.
This view is often supported within families - the majority
of "Dear parent" letters sent home by schools
tend to end up with mum. |
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But research shows that when dad gets involved, their sons'
and daughters' achievement is enhanced. Dads and other male
carers are just as important as mums in encouraging children
to enjoy reading - perhaps even more so, since reading is
often thought of by boys as a "girly" thing to
do. Dads and other male family members are boys' main role
models in life. Seeing them enjoying reading will help boys
to realise that they too can enjoy reading - they might
just need help in finding the right thing to read. Given
that girls outperform boys in literacy tests at all ages
throughout school, and are much more likely to say they
don't enjoy reading at all, this is particularly important.
Children who have favourite books when they are young tend
to do better in school. Regular reading for pleasure and
enjoyment of a wide range of materials can be the foundation
for educational achievement and a lifelong reading habit.
- increased enjoyment of reading and better literacy skills
- better exam results
- better school attendance and behaviour
- higher quality of later relationships
- better mental health
- increased self-esteem
- better relationships with your children
- improved confidence in your ability to provide support
- opportunities to take part in organised activities based
in schools or other venues, and form new friendships with
other fathers
- through school activities, a neutral place where you
can take part in enjoyable, focused activities (particularly
useful if you don't live with your child)
- motivation and support to join a more formal education
class, and opportunities for voluntary or paid work in
schools or the wider community.
Even dads who support their children's learning in other ways
can be unsure of where to start when it comes to reading.
Remember that schools will have their own approaches to teaching
children to read - your most important role should be in teaching
them that reading is fun and will support their other interests,
and is not just a "skill" that must be learned in
order to do well at school or get a good job.
Use the
top tips on this site for
ideas of things you can do with children of all ages to encourage
them to enjoy reading. You don't have to only think of reading
in terms of "proper" children's story books. Many
boys (and their dads) prefer to read non-fiction, including
books, magazines and websites. Match day programmes, sports
reports, 'how to' manuals and comic books are often great
places to start. Your children can benefit just as much if
you talk to them about this type of reading and what they
enjoy. Start with interests you share with your child, and
use these as the basis of your shared reading. Dads are sometimes
good at bringing stories alive either by using different voices
or humour.
- talking to them about the world around them
- encouraging them to chat and to listen to other points
of view
- setting aside a specific time each day for shared reading
(e.g. bedtime)
- singing songs they are familiar with
- taking them to the library
- reading with them and talking about the story and pictures
- discussing how their heroes might use reading
- showing them how reading can help them find out about
their hobbies and interests
- playing word games
- involving them with your reading interests
See if your child's school has any groups for fathers. If
not, get together with one or two others who are keen and
see if you can set one up. Any informal meeting place will
do to start, and just getting together to talk about successes,
tips and frustrations can help to begin with. The school should
be able to help in arranging sessions that involve both parents
and children in shared activity.
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