Promoting Literacy: The Collaborative Role of Teachers and Parents

Young students in a library with books
Promoting Literacy: The Collaborative Role of Teachers and Parents
Fiona Flintham

As parents and educators in a diverse international community, we play a vital role in supporting our children's journey to becoming avid and skilled readers.

As parents and educators in a diverse international community, we play a vital role in supporting our children's journey to becoming avid and skilled readers. Our Primary School Literacy Coach, Liz Raudzus, sheds light on the foundational elements of reading development, starting with oral language. Phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words—is crucial, and can be nurtured through rhymes and songs.

Parents: The Pillars of Literacy at Home

In our latest ISZL Podcast, Liz explains that parents are instrumental in the process of literacy development in early childhood. Meaningful conversations and reading activities connect sounds to letters and words to real-world experiences. These early literacy strategies not only build vocabulary and comprehension but also foster a love for language.

Early Years students singing phonics songs

Understanding Literacy as a Multidimensional Skill

Reading is not just decoding symbols on a page; it is a complex skill that intertwines verbal reasoning, background knowledge, and the ability to make connections.

Building language skills sets the stage for reading and oracy skills, but also helps with the foundations of second language learning, builds vocabulary - and most of all builds a healthy life-long approach to reading and literature.

Our literacy teaching strategies should be as diverse as our classroom, with differentiated instruction and cooperative learning at the forefront. Incorporating technology can also offer personalised learning opportunities, making literacy accessible to every child.

Community Engagement in Literacy

But literacy doesn't stop at the classroom door. It requires the collective effort of families, educators, and the community. By working together, we ensure that every child has the chance to develop strong reading skills and become an active member of our global society.

 

In our latest podcast episode Joanna Cull’s conversation with Primary Literacy Coach Liz Raudzus highlights these points, reminding us that literacy development is a shared responsibility—and a shared joy.

Let's commit to fostering inclusive, culturally responsive literacy environments. Together, we can ignite a passion for reading in our young learners that will last a lifetime.

Listen to the full Podcast episode now on Apple, Google or Spotify.

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