Reading activities involving both children and parents can have a positive effect on young children’s literacy development and achievement. However, few studies focusing on reading activities in culturally diverse families are known.

In a recent study conducted in the scope of ISOTIS, in Portugal, Roma families and non-Roma families experiencing financial hardship, with 3 to 6 year-old children, were interviewed about the frequency of reading activities involving adults and children at their home.

Findings indicated that the frequency of adult-child reading activities at home can be potentiated by reinforcing Roma families’ educational aspirations for their children, and by creating opportunities for positive social interactions between parents in the preschool setting, particularly for families experiencing financial hardship.

This study was carried out by ISOTIS researchers Inês Ferreira, Carla Silva, Leonor Neves (all from ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa), Sofia Guichard (University of Porto), and Cecília Aguiar (ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa). It was presented at the EDULOG 2018 international conference.

See the poster presented here