Yet those same mums will insist on having 'learning' homework for their sons and daughters who are struggling with print. "They have to learn to spell, and the only way is to go over them over and over again."

Rather like ironing.

Imagine somebody turning up on your doorstep with an enormous pile of white shirts. "I hear you're not very good at ironing? Well, I've brought you some to practise on."

That's what so much 'extra literacy homework' feels like. Boring. Totally uninspiring. A waste of time.

I adopt a different approach to my students who struggle with print.

First find something they enjoy and feel that they are good at.
Second build a shared enjoyment.
Then use that common pleasure to gradually and carefully show the value of print.

For example; for the mum who 'hates ironing',  the mum who is 'no good at it'.

Imagine somebody turning up on your doorstep with a gorgeous piece of colourful material. "With your wonderful figure and deep blue eyes, you would look stunning in this. Shall I help you to make a dress? First we need to cut it out. Next we need to stitch the seams. Oh, now we need to iron the seams. I'll show you the easiest way to do this.

Before your reluctant ironer knows where she is, she's wielding the iron voluntarily and learning better ways of ironing from her visitor.