To be most effective at helping children grow and learn parents should actively engage with their children, and with the programs and schools their children attend. Beginning at birth, parent engagement to support early learning and literacy at home is accomplished by parents having frequent conversations with children, asking and answering children’s questions, reading to children, singing songs, and participating in shared experiences.
Parent engagement that supports early learning and literacy once children are in school requires a partnership between parents and teachers focused on accelerating children’s learning. Teacher-parent partnerships are most effective when parent participation is encouraged by teachers and school leaders; when parents and teachers are provided with multiple forms of data demonstrating children’s progress, growth, and challenges; and when specific tools and resources are provided to parents, with actionable items parents can do at home to deepen children’s learning.
