ABSTRACT
Paired Reading projects may be more expensive in terms of professional time than parent listening projects if home visiting on a regular basis is incorporated. The implications for the active involvement of fathers in parent involvement projects, particularly where a majority of the target group is likely to be boys, are perhaps worth dwelling upon. A meta-analysis of the data which are available suggests that a mean ratio gain of twice 'normal' rates of progress in reading is a typical outcome for parent listening projects. Readers will have noted that the Paired Reading contributors exhibit very much greater homogeneity of technique than is the case for authors in the subsection on 'Parent Listening'. Speculation about the long-term future of the parental involvement in reading movement is equally fascinating. Although considerably better researched and evaluated than many innovative educational developments, it remains to be seen whether evidence of effectiveness is sufficient by itself to sustain the relevant teacher behaviour.
