Mums praised for going back to school to help their children read.

HUNDREDS of mums are helping their child to succeed at school by heading back to the classroom to learn how to boost reading skills.
This Mothers Day the Council-led Family Learning team is highlighting mums who have taken up the chance of gaining the latest knowledge and skills to help children to improve their literacy and other skills.
Last year alone the Family Learning Team worked with almost 400 mums and dads, grandparents and carers at 33 primary schools and two secondary schools.
The adults meet with tutors in classrooms at their child's school and gain a new understanding of how children learn to read and latest techniques employed by teachers in the classroom.
They are then joined by their own child to get support to put that into practice.
As well as seeing their child's confidence and motivation to learn improve, more than 208 of the parents have gained qualifications including the Agored Cymru 'Helping a child to read in the Foundation Phase'.
Mike Day, Cabinet Member for Education, said: "As it is Mothering Sunday this weekend, it is important that we recognise the major role mums, foster mums and grandma's too play in supporting their children's learning, especially literacy.
"The mums, dads and grandparents involved in Family Learning are a real credit to Swansea for taking the time to learn themselves and gain skills to help their child thrive."
Trallwn Primary School mum Victoria Woodward is taking part to help her son Thomas, aged seven, improve his literacy skills after realising teaching methods had changed dramatically since she went to school herself.
She said: "I have been shown how to put myself into Thomas's shoes, how he sees the world and how he learns and that helps so much in helping him read and really enjoying reading too.
"I am reading more with Thomas and we are both getting more out of it. I would recommend Family Learning to anyone interested in supporting their child."
Helen Fakher said her daughter Samia, aged four, also at Trallwn Primary is already developing the behaviours she needs to become an active reader.
She said: "I have older grown up children and when they were learning to read it was a case of going over words again and again until they memorised it and could repeat it.
"Family Learning has shown me how exploring and discussing the pictures in a book can help Samia develop her vocabulary and love books so much she wants to read.
"It has given me the confidence to help her start to read and know I am building on what is being taught in school rather than going against it."
Family Learning is delivered by the Council's Lifelong Learning Service, funded by Swansea Council and a grant from Basic Skills Cymru.
The sessions give parents and carers the opportunity to find out how things are taught in their own school including numeracy and literacy as well as a chance to share ideas with other parents.
With support, families are boosting basic skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

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