This evaluation of the Making it REAL early literacy programme, shows how it has made a difference to children's literacy and improved the confidence of parents to support their child's development in reading and writing.
This report on the third year of the programme shows marked increases in the frequency with which children read, engaged with the printed word around them , did their own mark making, and sang songs and rhymes.
The programme is based on Raising Early Achievement in Literacy (REAL) and worked with 530 children across 79 early years settings, including primary school nursery and reception classes, pre-schools, playgroups, children’s centres and nursery schools.
The REAL approach recognises that parents are children’s first and most enduring educators. So practitioners work with parents to help them understand their role in supporting their children’s literacy development in four key strands: environmental print (the printed word around them), books, early writing and oral language.