One of Ireland’s best loved authors helps the O’Brien’s from Dublin in RTÉ One’s 'The Family Project'
The Family Projectis a new six-part series that follows families from around Ireland working together to overcome educational issues that affect their lives.
In the second episode, (next Monday 2 June at 7.30pm on RTÉ ONE), one of Ireland’s best loved authors Alice Taylor helps the O’Brien family from Dublin.
Carol and Eugene O’Brien live in Kilbarrack with their four children and Carol’s father Peter. Leah, the youngest is in first class and has been struggling with her reading in school.
Like most kids her age she loves playing on her ipad and watching TV. “She’s the rule of the roost with the telly, as soon as our back is turned it’s on Nickelodeon,” says her father Eugene.
In the programme, Alice helps the O’Brien’s in their quest to improve Leah’s reading skills by devising a tailored family project for them to undertake. “I think this will be an enriching journey for Leah and that the rest of the family will get hooked in as well,” says Alice.
Alice gets the family to help Leah with her reading by doing a family project. Together, they write a children’s book about their granddad Peter which Leah will read aloud at a special book launch. It’s not always easy but with the help of her parents, brothers and local school, they help her improve her reading.
The Family Project
With children only spending about 15% of their time in school, The Family Project aims to show parents how to do more in the home to help their kids learn in fun and engaging ways.
Each week, a different family sets out to tackle a problem that has a particular impact on them, whether it’s Mum wanting to return to education, the kids finding reading difficult, or simply the parents not finding time to help with homework.
In each episode, a celebrity mentor works with the family to complete a project that has special significance to them. By working together and being open to learning new things, the families achieve results they could never have imagined.
Each family is also guided by the input and teaching of Ireland’s best education experts. These experts devise a learning activity and give the families the techniques and tools to achieve this. They show ways that they can all work together, and will set a target or goal that the family can realistically achieve. The experts are from the same area as the family, to show that local resources are available to everyone in Ireland.
Since 2000, the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) has been using the mass medium of television to highlight literacy issues, outline supports that are available, motivate people to return to education and provide opportunities for learning in the privacy of their own home.
NALA know that parents are the first and foremost educators of their children. Learning doesn’t just happen in school. Children learn everyday – from the moment they are born they start to soak up things like a sponge – at home, out and about, even at bedtime. While all our research shows that parents know how important their role is in helping their children learn, very often they are stuck for time or easy access to resources. NALA has developed a website to help parents support their children’s education called www.helpmykidlearn.ie. It includes general information, fun activities and useful tips. Help My Kid Learn is a website where people can see that supporting a child’s literacy and numeracy development is a natural, easy and fun activity that can be integrated into any part of their day.
NALA also operate a Freephone support line 1800 20 20 65 that is staffed by experienced operators who can support people return to education in their local ETB (VEC) or match them with a distance education tutor.
ENDS
For media queries please contact:
Melanie O’Connor
RTÉ TV Press and Publicity
01 208 2787
Email: melanie.o’connor@rte.ie
or
Clare McNally
Communications
National Adult Literacy Agency
01 4127909 / 087 6486292
Email: media@nala.ie