4.8 Myth #8 Some families just don’t read

In western societies, all families interact around texts, yet each family is unique and engages in different reading practices. As societal understandings of what counts as reading are shaped by educational policy, parents themselves may not recognise some of their shared reading practices as legitimate reading.

It is vital that educators avoid making assumptions based on deficit views of families or limited notions of what counts as reading. That being said, families do not have equal access to a wealth of reading materials and reading support varies. It is therefore important to forge positive relationships with parents and respect and value the uniqueness of each family, so you can work together with parents to enhance access to texts and support children’s reading at home. As highlighted in Session 7, promoting children’s Reading for Pleasure is a shared responsibility.