Motheread/Fatheread (MR/FR)
Category
Family Support, Literacy
Child's Age
0-1 years, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-4 years, 4-5 years
Participant
Children, Parents/Guardian
Languages
English, Spanish
Brief Description
Motheread/Fatheread (MR/FR) is a family literacy program that emphasizes the importance of reading to children and strategies to support early literacy. Participants learn ways to share stories and themes with children while enhancing their own literacy.
Expected Impact
- Increase in reading aloud and engaging in active reading behaviors
- Improvements in parent reports of their child’s demonstrated skills in reading, language, and print
- Greater gains in teacher-reported language skills at 15 months post-intervention.
- Improved parent reading scores
- Improvement in parent perceptions of relationships with children
Core Components for Model Fidelity
- Parent/Caregiver Classes: 29 literacy lessons developed for parents/caregivers. Typical class runs anywhere from 8-12 weeks and does not cover all 29 lessons.
Languages Materials are Available in
English, Spanish
Delivery Mode
In-person (occasionally virtual, as trained by Helps Education Fund).
Dosage
Minimum of 20 contact hours delivered over 8-12 weeks, with each class session lasting at least 90 minutes. Up to 40 contact hours can be delivered, with 90-minute sessions delivered over the anticipated duration of the program.
Infrastructure for Implementation
Space: If meeting in-person, ample meeting space is required.
Staffing Requirements
The MR/FR provider must become certified by completing the 20-hour training provided by Helps Education Fund.
NCPC strongly recommends staff receive training in the Standards of Quality for Family Support and Strengthening. Contact Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina (PCANC) or National Family Support Network (NFSN) for more information, training, and certification.
Training for Model Fidelity
MR/FR training is provided by Helps Education Fund. Training costs $725 per participant and is offered both virtually and in-person. Participants complete 20 hours of training; receive the MR/FR Teacher’s Guide, Early Childhood Supplement, and guidelines for using MR/FR with ESL students; receive 2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from North Carolina State University; and can contact expert trainers for additional support after the training. Training is spread out over three days if in person and four days if virtual.
Contact Information
https://helpingeducation.org/programs-services/motheread-fatheread-program/
Gwen Hinton: Director of Adult, Family, and Community Empowerment Programs; g.hinton@helpingeducation.org
Cost Estimates
MR/FR training costs $725 per participant and includes all materials necessary, including the MR/FR Teacher’s Guide. Participants receive 2.0 continuing education units (CEUs).
Purpose Service Code (PSC)
5512 - Literacy Programs
Program Identifier (PID)
Motheread/Fatheread
Minimal Outputs for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- Number of parents/guardians participating†
†Select Family Support Programs data collection will include basic demographic data for parent/guardian participants including Race, Ethnicity. Data on interpretation and transportation will be collected when appropriate.
Minimal Outcomes for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- Increase in frequency of adult and child shared reading
- Increase in the adult use of recommended reading strategies
Minimal Measures for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- Motheread Parent reading survey for 0-5
NCPC Evidence Categorization
Evidence Informed- 2 publications. 1 randomized control trial and 1 non-experimental study (lacked basic demographic information and used unclear study methods).
Research Summary
There have been no new publications on MR/FR since NCPC's July 2018 evidence review. The two publications included in the 2018 evidence review include a randomized control trial1 and a non-experimental, descriptive study observing gains within treatment.2 Sample populations included racially/ethnically diverse families, families whose primary language was Spanish, and low-income families. Results indicated that parents receiving the MR/FR intervention reported reading aloud and engaging in active reading behaviors more often than the waitlisted control group. MR/FR parents also reported that their child demonstrated improvements in reading, language, and print. 15-months post-intervention, children whose parents participated in MR/FR had greater gains in teacher-reported language skills. Results also indicated that participating parents’ reading scores improved an average of 1 to 4 grade levels and their self-reflections reflected improved relationships with their children.
- ^ See Hirsh et al. (2019). This randomized control trial sampled 148 parent-child dyads whose children were between ages 3 to 5 years at the time of enrollment (M = 4 years). Participants included families from BIPOC-AALANA, ESL/ELL, and low-income backgrounds. Participants were randomly assigned to receive MR/FR within one week of enrollment or were waitlisted to receive MR/FR the next semester. MR/FR recipients were offered 12 classes, each lasting 60 to 150 minutes in length, over the course of a school semester. Participants completed assessments at baseline and post-intervention. Research measures included children’s TS Gold scores and excerpts from the Parent Survey of Home Literacy and the Early Literacy Parent Questionnaire. Results indicated that parents receiving the MR/FR intervention reported reading aloud and engaging in active reading behaviors more often than the waitlisted control group. MR/FR parents also reported that their child demonstrated improvements in reading, language, and print. 15-months post-intervention, children whose parents participated in MR/FR had greater gains in teacher-reported language skills.
- ^ See Gorham (2001). This non-experimental, descriptive study observed gains within treatment and sampled an unknown number of participants in MR/FR. Demographic information of participants was not provided. Participants completed 16 to 36 hours of MR/FR classes in a group of 8 to 10 participants and completed pre- and post-tests. Research measures included the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) and self-reflections. Results indicated that participants’ reading scores improved an average of 1 to 4 grade levels and their self-reflections reflected improved relationships with their children.
Researched Population
- Populations from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds
- English Language Learners
- Low-income backgrounds
- Children ages 3 to 5 years
Hirsh, H., Richmond, M., Pampel, F., Jones, S., Molieri, A., & Jones, J. (2019). Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial of the Motheread/Fatheread Early Literacy Intervention: Evidence of Impact in a Rural Community. Journal of Early Education and Development, 30(2), pp. 216-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2018.1544813
Gorham, B. (2001) Measuring success in Motheread classes: Literacy Achievement and Parental Support Results. Retrieved from http://0347dbd.netsolhost.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MeasuringSuccess.pdf
Local Partnerships Currently Implementing
Local Partnerships in purple have adopted Motheread/Fatheread (MR/FR). Local Partnership contact information can be found here.