Do family learning phonics courses improve parents' reading‐related skills and ability to support their children's reading?

Background Parents play a crucial role in supporting children's literacy, especially the first years of school. However, parents can find this challenging if they struggle with reading themselves. We explore whether family learning phonics courses boost parents' reading-related skills and ability to support their reading, collaboration between UK academics National Family Learning Forum. Methods Prior data collection, course leaders identified key for target: phonological awareness, letter-sounds, segmenting blending, awareness irregular words. teams recruited Reception children (4–5 old) group (N = 50), targeting who were likely need literacy support. received 6 weeks 1- 2-hour sessions groups. Control participants 76) online had Reception-age child old); controls no training. All completed phonics-related tests at 1 6. Results The significantly improved on letter-sound knowledge (by 4.64 letters; 51 total items); control did not improve measure. Both groups showed some improvement word (likely due practice effects), neither nonword reading. questionnaire that reported giving more regular activities placed higher level importance homework, increase group. Conclusions provide evidence (letter-sound knowledge) confidence Some (phonological whole decoding) may be slower change require longer term Future work should long-term consequences such habits skills.