Research

Research

Parents as Teachers Innovative Approaches to Literacy (PAT-IAL)

Date: April 23, 2024
Categories: Family and Community Engagement and Support

This project was funded by the US Department of Education Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) grant program. It evaluated the augmentation of Parents as Teachers — one of the nation’s largest home visiting programs — with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides monthly book distribution to young children. The project took place in nine states and served children aged 0–4 living within high-need local educational agencies (LEAs). The main goals of the project were to (1) increase parent-child literacy activities by delivering literacy-focused group connections, home visits, and connections with community libraries and literacy resources for parents, and (2) increase the oral language skills of four-year-old children. This project included a sub-study where parent educators introduced Dialogic Reading, an evidence-based reading strategy, to parents during their home visits. HighScope used a multiple baseline, single-case design to assess the impact on a mother’s reading practices and preschool-aged children’s oral language.

Parents as Teachers and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Partner to Improve Home Literacy Environment for Children