Appendix B

Informed Consent for School and Day Care Staff

(One copy of this form will be left with the interviewee and one copy will be signed by the participant and kept by the researcher.)

To potential study participant:

Since you have been involved with literacy activities, I invite you to participate in a doctoral thesis research study of family literacy practices of children in the neighbourhood where you work. This topic is being studied to find out more about what children do outside of school hours. Although there has been research conducted with families of preschool children, there is little research with school age children. This study aims to fill that gap.

Your voluntary participation in this study is limited to one interview conducted by me and arranged at your convenience. The interview should last no longer than 45 minutes and, with your permission, will be tape recorded. This will involve a discussion of community resources and a review of potential participants for the study.

I would like you to nominate ten parents who are representative of the population in your neighbourhood. I am seeking those who have at least one child enrolled in a primary grade and who speak English in the home.

I would like you to make initial contact with these individuals who might be willing to participate in my study and discuss their family literacy practices with me. I would then approach these people and invite their voluntary participation under the terms of the attached letter.

No participant names or affiliated organizations will be used in the report arising from this study; confidentiality will be ensured. Only my supervisor at the University of Ottawa and me will see this information. In exchange for your participation, I will provide you with a summary report from this research after the data collection and analysis is complete.

This research has been approved by the Faculty of Education Human Research Ethics Committee. Inquiries or any questions dealing with ethical conduct of this research can be addressed to the Chair of the Ethics Committee (Dr. Aline Giroux) at (613) 562-5800, ext. 4344. Further, this research is being supervised by Dr. Diana Masny who may be reached at (613) 562-5800, ext. 4142.

The University of Ottawa requires its researchers to obtain formal consent from those participating in research. Your signature below will serve this purpose. You are free to withdraw from this study at any time. Questions about this study may be addressed now or later by calling me, Rhonda Rubin, at 855-7980.

I have read the foregoing and I agree to participate in this study.