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Persuaded Parents To Write: One such group are those children whose families' first language is not English. Believing it to be important that these children should experience their own home culture in their education, some schools have persuaded parents to write 'books' about their lives in their country of origin. This is not usually an easy task in the first instance, but once some examples are available, many parents agree to become authors. One school in particular devised a successful strategy which is worth giving in some detail.
Encourage parents to comment, of course, but don't forget that some people have difficulty in committing themselves to the written word, and a few parents will be unable to write, or write in English, at all. So it should be made clear that if only the number of pages read, or the length of time spent, is recorded, that in itself is a comment, and a helpful one. Where you know that parents are able to write, but seem to need encouragement to commit themselves to paper, try asking a direct question on the card: 'I think there has been an improvement in the last two weeks - what do you think?' and let the child know what you lave written, saying how interested you will be in the answer. Mways, of course, tell the child what you have written where 'ou believe the parent cannot read, or cannot read English.
I have another list with each child's name on it, and as the children choose a book I simply have to write the number next to their name and cross it off as the books are returned. However, I do write the full title of each book on the parents' comment card as a number would be meaningless, especially if they mislaid the book.
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