Parents as Remedial Reading Tutors: A Report on the Work of the Mangere Home and School Project

When things go wrong with a child's social behaviour, teachers, psychologists and social workers frequently ask for the parents' help. When children are disruptive in class, when children are repeatedly late for school, when children seem upset or withdrawn, parents are asked to suggest possible causes, to try out new ways of managing the problem, and to report on any changes in their child's behaviour. When things go wrong with a child's school work, however, professionals are less likely to call on the help of parents. This is probably because they wonder if the parents are interested in helping with problems which are traditionally seen as the responsibility of the school. They may also view parents as unskilled, as likely to make the child more anxious and confused. Three educational psychologists and a research associate at the University of Auckland, have just spent a year studying how parents can help children with academic (in this case,reading) difficulties.