The model Learning Together: Read and Write with Your Child, an adaptation of the Family Literacy Demonstration program implemented in the United Kingdom, has been the object of a longitudinal research over five years completed in 2006. Its authors, Phillips, Hayden and Norris (2006),observed that the program brought important benefits to the child but that it had little impact on the academic literacy skills ofthe parents.

Fagan (2001)observed that after participating in a program, parents had a better understanding of the acquisition of writing and of their role as a parent in this process, greater ease in accessing resources and information they needed, and an enhanced awareness ofthe needs and characteristics of their children.

Hannon and Bird (2004)have insisted that enough studies have been done to conclude that family literacy programs designed for the parents of preschool children have a positive impact on families.

Couture et al. (1998)and Lavoie et al. (2000)observed that French-language programs increased parents' understanding of factors that help the acquisition of writing skills, which include

• discovery ofthe functions ofthe written word,
• ability to talk like a book,
• ability to make connections between the spoken and the written word,
• awareness ofthe sound aspect of language, and
• discovery ofthe writing process.

Both sets of authors also observed that parents adopted new behaviours as educators of their child and that the programs had a positive impact on the children's academic progress. According to Lavoie et al. (2000),familyliteracy programs contribute to the emergence of literary practices in children.

According to the results found in the For My Child reports, the direct participation of the parent and the child reinforces the impact of the initiation to reading on both. For this reason, for cohorts 2 to 5 almost all of the models put forward included a direct intervention with the child and with the parent.

In an action research project of a Quebec school board, Lyonnais (2005)tried to determine whether the help offered to parents through workshops on parenting skills made it possible to break the vicious cycle of illiteracy, reduce the risk of their child's academic failure, increase the parents' involvement in their child's success and progress, and increase the interest of both parents and children in reading and writing.

Here are the main outcomes of this research:

• The school was brought closer to families and families were brought closer to the school. The school recognized parents as essential partners in the children's success.
• The workshops influenced on the parents' involvement in their child's academic success by stimulating new and more effective supervision practices in many families and by generating "winning attitudes" that were permeated with emotional support in the parent-child relationships.