REAL programme

Making it REAL draws evidence from the original REAL project delivered by Professors Cathy Nutbrown and Peter Hannon at the University of Sheffield. REAL uses a framework called ‘ORIM’ (Opportunities, Recognition, Interaction and Model), which is based on the idea that there are four main ways in which parents can help their children’s communication, language and early literacy development:

1. Creating opportunities for children’s literacy development by making children’s books, CDs and writing materials available and accessible in the home environment;

2. Recognising and encouraging children’s literacy milestones;

3. Interacting with children positively and supporting real-life literacy tasks and;

4. Acting as models of literacy users, so children see parents use literacy in everyday life.

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Our trained team of staff and volunteers will work with referred children and families to share ORIM through a series of home visits and literacy events. Each referred family will receive 4 home visits (per child aged 3-4) to work on the 4 areas above.

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Making it REAL is a fun, engaging and accessible programme that supports the home learning environment and makes a difference to children’s communication, language and early literacy to support parents and the home learning environment, whilst working together with the setting to ensure shared learning and understanding in everyday practice.