ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the literacy experiences that take place in the first few years at home, creating the conditions that allow children to learn to read and write. It explores ways to establish a strong partnership between Early Years settings and parents that take account of all children's home cultures and experiences. The chapter looks at some practical ways to create a partnership with parents that builds on their strengths as educators at home, allowing young children to take more from their pre-school experience. The Effective Provision of Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) project explored the different contributions of family, pre-school and school to children's social and educational development. The EPPSE research shows the significance of quality home learning environments, where parents are involved in a process of 'active cultivation'. During the writing projects, practitioners shared information with parents about how young children become writers, through displays boards, in workshops and by talking to parents informally.
