Premier League Reading Stars (PLRS) is an educational project that harnesses the motivational power of football to encourage families to enjoy reading. It targets those hard to reach groups in society who may not have shown an interest in reading, but who do have a passion for football. PLRS has been running since 2003 following the creation of a…

Describes a program in which parents demonstrated a willingness to become involved in the reading activities of their preschool children, following involvement in Share-a-Story sessions. (NH)

Describes how an English Junior School developed a parent involvement program aimed at improving reading. Provides anecdotal accounts of its success as well as a discussion of crucial elements to an effective program. (DT)

Reports the results of a three-year study of factors related to variations in home reading frequency among children and parents participating in a project designed to encourage home reading. Factors investigated include: social class, employment status, adult reading habits, illness, contact with school, and parent attitudes toward helping their…

A double-blind controlled study of the effect of paired reading was carried out with 33 failing readers and their parents. After an average time of 7.6 hours of paired reading at home spread over six weeks, the experimental group children made gains of 2.43 months for reading accuracy and 4.36 months for comprehension. (JDH)