Family Learning

Parents are a child’s first, and most important, teachers. Family learning programmes encourage and support parents in this role, giving them some tips, tricks and tools to help support their child’s development and learning. It also encourages them to work on their own literacy and numeracy skills. According to international research, parental involvement in a child’s learning has more of an impact on their educational outcomes than any other demographic measure including social class or level of parental income (click here to find out more)
There are all kinds of opportunities for learning in the home, and in the course of ordinary family activities. Family learning programmes help parents and carers to draw out and boost these learning opportunities, to help children along.
Parents are very busy people, and family learning programmes are also a chance to sit for a few minutes a week and talk with other parents about how things are going, what works and what doesn’t work around children’s learning. We try to schedule them at times that suit parents, whether that is mornings or evenings, on a local basis.
Family learning programmes cover a very broad range of topics, including:

Helping with Reading
Helping with Writing
Helping with Maths
Helping with Homework
Cookery
Crafts
Storysacks (a creative way to make reading fun)
Sports

If you would like to find out more about family learning in your area, or how to train as a family learning tutor, contact your local literacy organiser. Details are found here
Some good sites to visit:
www.helpmykidlearn.ie – NALA’s family learning page, with a great range of activities for primary school children
Schooldays.ie maths resources page – a great source of info, including a video on how the new methods of subtraction work
Mathsaid Really good interactive maths website for parents and tutors
Kids activities blog – Storytelling activities – a great way to boost a child’s love of reading
Neil Griffiths presents Storysacks – find out more about this useful and fun programme for parents
Find your child’s Learning Style – This can be very useful information for parents
Parents Numeracy Toolkit – Hands on ways to improve children’s maths
Are there any sites you find useful that should be on this list? Please email them to your organiser for submission to the Webmaster Committee