Parents to learn their ABC's again

July 14th, 2008

QUEENSLAND parents who struggle with reading and writing may be offered classes designed to stop them passing on low literacy levels to their children.

State Education Minister Rod Welford yesterday said he was considering classes to enable parents with low literacy levels to help their children with their reading and writing throughout school and to expand their child's vocabulary.

Parents with poor literacy were less likely to read to their children or help with homework and study, leading to serious disadvantage, he said.

"I have heard horror stories from teachers that some children start school and don't even know how to open a book because they've never seen one before," said Mr Welford.

"This should not be happening."

He said evidence showed children from well-off families were given hundreds more hours of one-on-one reading time than the children from low-income families.

"If the parents had poor school outcomes or experiences, this can lead to a cycle of poor school performance with their children struggling at school and becoming disengaged from learning, leading to misbehaviour and truancy," said Mr Welford.

"We must take action to stop this poor perception of education being transferred from generation to generation."