Exploring parent/carer and child experiences of a home-based reading intervention for struggling readers

Abstract

Background: Learning to read is foundational to a child’s educational experience, and necessary to effectively navigate everyday life within modern society. Children who struggle with developing adequate reading skills can benefit from direct one-to-one intervention.

Aims: This qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of both parent/carers and their children (aged seven to eight years) when engaging in a reading intervention within the home, during term-time.

Methods: Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with parent/carers, and puppet interviews with child participants who had been identified as struggling readers. Fourteen parent/carer interviews and eleven child interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to explore themes within each group and patterns across the two groups.

Findings: Three themes were generated and explored within the parent/carer group: evolving perception of self as parent-educator; the challenge of time; and the development of self-efficacy in supporting their child’s reading attainment. Three themes offered novel insight into the child’s experience: the value of time, the concept that fun is fundamental to engagement, and the idea of rising to the challenge when engaging in reading intervention.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the meaningful role of reading interventions within the home. Parent/carers felt empowered through training and support to deliver reading interventions. Most of the children developed motivation and self-efficacy towards reading but were more engaged when fun and/or play was incorporated. Despite challenges related to time most parent/carers and children recommended the intervention. Extending the limited volume of previous research in this area, findings are discussed in relation to the literature, along with implications for practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research.

Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2025.

Date of Award	Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Education Authority Northern Ireland
Supervisor	John McMullen (Supervisor) & Stephanie Burns (Supervisor)