The Study
This study focused on parents teaching parents how to read aloud to their children and showed that a group of low-income mothers could assist other low-income parents in sharing books with their children. Thirty-six parents, 33 women and 3 men, participated in 28 two-hour cooperative learning sessions led by four mothers who had taken part in a book-reading program taught by a university faculty member. The participants met in four small groups, each with its own parent leader. The program involved discussion, modeling of effective book-reading behaviors, practice and feedback. Video tapes of all sessions, weekly reflection reports written by the four parent leaders and participant evaluations provided a basis for analysis and assessment of this program. Dr. Patricia A. Edwards, Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University conducted the study.

The Findings
The parent leaders took what they had learned about reading and adapted it to reflect their culture and the needs of the participants and created a book-reading program that (1) empowered their peers to better understand the importance of reading to their children and (2) taught them the skills necessary to share books more effectively. The leaders acknowledged that they were not highly educated and used this fact to illustrate that parents do not have to be highly educated to support their children's literacy development. Rapport between leaders and participants led participants to be less fearful and anticipate success because they were being helped by friends and neighbors who had been successful and were willing to share their experiences. Having trusted peers tell participants that reading to their children was important was a strong incentive for them to learn and model the recommended new behaviors. The empowerment gained through participating in the program went beyond learning more about reading aloud to children. It was perceived to benefit the parents as well as their children.

What It Means to You
Low-income parents can become partners in a school's reading program and act as role models for the literacy behavior of their children. Cooperative learning may be a practical, as well as effective, way to help less well-educated parents become involved in their children's literacy development. However, parents need to be shown what the school expects them to do at home with their children, and parent leaders must be given an opportunity to gain needed information and develop appropriate skills to facilitate cooperative learning. A cooperative learning program, such as the one in the study, may not be closely coordinated with classroom reading activities; however, many parents will be sensitive to the curriculum and try to reinforce it.

More Information
You can get more information concerning empowering parents to share books with their children by consulting, Edwards, Patricia A. (April 1995). "Empowering Low-Income Mothers and Fathers to Share Books with Young Children," The Reading Teacher, Vol.48, No. 7, pp 558-564.

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