Practitioners' views

At the evaluation day this year practitioners were asked to describe the elements of REAL that are essential to its success. Some of the main conclusions were:

• REAL provides a strong theoretical framework and practice ideas – but is adapted by teachers and practitioners who know their families and children well.

The four strands of literacy can be introduced over time, it matches families and gets away from the fixed course approach to family learning.

• It builds strong relationships and reaches, through home visits, the whole family -  46 younger siblings were regularly part of the project this year.

It makes our parents feel valued

It helps parents see that play and talk with babies and younger children matter too.

• It builds everyone’s confidence and knowledge – parents, children and practitioners

Children come and talk about what you did weeks later

Parents begin to see how much they are doing as part of everyday life – they are thirsty for more ideas to help their children

• It builds connections for parents to other services and support

It overlaps from being purely a literacy-based programme to feeding into other work with the family – it’s multi-disciplinary work in action

• Boys respond very well to the ‘literacy through real activity’ approach - 74 of the REAL children this year are boys, and fathers engage and sustain involvement

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