Schools and Parents Actively Reaching Kids for Literacy Everyday (SPARKLE): Promoting positive parental self perceptions through the use of interactive storybook techniques

The purpose of this research study was to develop and evaluate an intervention program designed to increase parent involvement through the use of interactive storybook read aloud techniques. The Schools and Parents Actively Reaching Kids for Literacy Everyday (SPARKLE) program utilized these interactive techniques, along with support as the techniques were applied to target internal barriers to involvement. An underlying purpose was to develop a caring, trusting, and respectful program to help parents perceive themselves as capable and responsible in order for them to be actively involved in their child's education.; A mixed methods research design incorporating a randomly assigned sample was used to answer the following research questions. First, in what ways does an intervention program based on skill development in questioning and interactive techniques used during storybook read aloud sessions affect parental belief, attitudes, and perceptions? Specifically, in what ways does this intervention affect a parent's affective memory perceptions (AMP), capability perceptions (CP), responsibility perceptions (RP), capability perceptions for literacy (CPL) and responsibility perceptions for literacy (RPL)? Second, does an intervention based on skill development in questioning and interaction techniques used during storybook read aloud sessions provide parents with new skills to use during and following the intervention? Third, how does an intervention based on skill development in questioning and interaction techniques used during storybook read aloud sessions change parents' beliefs and attitudes about the importance of reading aloud, children's learning, our school, and education in general?; Findings suggest these two groups of parents were able to find value in their participation in the SPARKLE program. The findings suggest that the program was able to provide a different and effective context in which the parents were able to witness their children as able learners as well as providing a positive context in which the affective side of the read aloud could be experienced between parent and child. Moreover, the parent discussion group format proved to be a valuable tool for the parents. The variety of text was also seen as a positive component of the program by these parents. Continued use of the SPARKLE program with a larger parent sample and alternative scheduling is recommended. Further research on this program may provide additional insight into how schools can address internal and external barriers to produce more parent involvement in education, more positive parental perceptions, and more effective parental teaching of their children from the start of their school careers. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...