Let’s Read Them a Story! The Parent Factor in Education

Most parents know instinctively that spending more time with their children and being actively involved in their education will give their children a good head-start in life.  But since most parents have to juggle competing demands at work and home, there never seems to be enough time or they feel ill-equipped to help. 

This book from OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)  has some good news for concerned parents: it does not require a Ph.D or unlimited hours for parents to make a difference in their children's education.  In fact, many parent-child activities that are associated with better reading performance among students involve relatively little time and no specialised knowledge.  What these activities do demand is genuine interest and active engagement.

Note: This OECD publication can be accessed in a 'Browse it' or 'Look inside' format from the OECD website (i.e. you cannot freely print out or download). To obtain full access you need to use the OECD iLibrary (replacing SourceOECD) or purchase a paper or electronic version from the OECD Bookshop.

Website: OECD iLibrary http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/

OECD: PISA - Let's Read Them a Story! The Parent Factor in Education, July 2012 http://www.oecd.org/document/48/0,3746,en_2649_35845621_50282672_1_1_1_1,00.html

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