Many Families May Not Feel Welcome At Library Storytimes Here's How To Ensure Everyone Benefits From Them

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Research shows that children who have books in their home and who talk about stories or learn letters with their families, are more likely to do well at school – not only in literacy but across the board . And these effects are crucial and long-lasting: they can still be seen in secondary school.

Unfortunately, not all children have the opportunity to develop a love of books early on in life. In particular, poorer families tend to have fewer resources to buy books and may have less time for reading. Parents may also feel less confident reading to their children, especially if they had a negative experience of school themselves.

This means that, on average, children from disadvantaged backgrounds start school with less familiarity with books and less exposure to so-called “book language” : more complex vocabulary and grammatical structures is found in books than is common in spoken language.

They also tend to have weaker language skills , which then affects their learning.

In theory, storytime sessions at local libraries should be part of the solution. They provide opportunities for all children to listen to stories, explore books and engage in activities known to improve language such as singing nursery rhymes .

However, it may be that because these sessions tend to be designed and delivered by confident, experienced readers, and attended by families who already engage with books at home, parents who did not have this advantage may feel less welcome or even uncomfortable.

These sessions may not be tailored towards their needs. We aimed to carry out a project to make these storytimes as inclusive as possible.

Shared reading

Our research project shows that families who are not already reading can become engaged with books through activities that focus on encouraging them to use books themselves. These include parent-toddler shared reading sessions and adult book groups within a community in collaboration with community members.

In our research project , we spoke to parents, librarians, teachers, nursery staff, local councillors, youth workers and community centre leaders about what would work within their communities. We learned that many parents were suspicious of“do-gooders” telling them what is best for their child.

We took all of this on board and also employed local young mothers who were qualified teachers as community researchers and session leaders. Using research evidence, community recommendations and the teaching expertise of our community researchers, we designed sessions that were appealing and engaging to local families.

In the sessions, children listened to the story twice, and parents had the opportunity to read the story to the children too. We devised activities involving the story's characters and main themes to focus children's attention on the vocabulary and meaning of the stories.

At the end of the session, families were able to take a copy of the book home with them. The repeated reading ensured both child and parent were familiar with the story, making it more likely that they would read it together again.

We found that providing free books for attending families, as well as offering refreshments and a welcoming, nonjudgemental environment, were a huge draw.

We also set up an adult book club, led by a local mother, with creche facilities provided for participants' young children. Crucially, sessions were held in community centres rather than schools, where parents did not always feel comfortable. The sessions are now thriving, and we hope that other boroughs will adopt a similar approach.

The feedback from families involved in our sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Parents reported increased confidence in reading to their children and noted improvements in their children's language skills and enthusiasm for books. One mother said:

Community approach

Our findings resonate with a report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies on the long-term educational benefits of Sure Start Centres – local community hubs offering under-fives and their families a range of support in England. The report revealed that access to these centres at preschool age is linked to substantially better performance at GCSE, particularly for children from low-income families.

The success of Sure Start Centres is attributed to three key factors: community engagement, parental outreach and input from qualified teachers - all elements integral to our own projects.

The key to engaging a broader range of families lies in building trust and collaborating with communities to understand their needs and aspirations. By doing so, we can ensure that all families can access the life-changing benefits of early exposure to books – a true vehicle of social mobility.

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