The importance of the role parents play in their children's learning cannot be emphasised enough. All the evidence shows that there are significant positive effects in every aspect of the child's education if parents involve themselves in the process and understand how their children learn.

By working together in a educating partnership the teachers and parents can and should provide support, understanding and encouragement. If this is is done the children are more likely to:

develop, from an early age, a positive attitude towards reading and writing;

display increased levels of attentiveness in the classroom;

then go on to achieve significant social and academic success at school and afterwards.

So how can we parents foster a good attitude to children's learning, to take pride in their work and to develop their own motivation?

Talk with (not at) your children and really listen. Don't be too anxious to jump in and advise: instead, be ready with questions like: "Why do you think that happened?" and "How did that make you feel?"

You know your children better than anyone else. You are in a perfect position to know what would arouse your children's interest, to stimulate them, to learn, to grow.

So provide activities and experiences to suit their own personality. That may vary a lot from child to child. It could include visiting a local historical place, keeping a diary or following through with a topic from school or encouraging a certain sport.

If you involve yourself with the school, you are helping your children understand that home and school are interrelated and one follows naturally from the other - that it is a three-way, complementary relation ship between parent, child and school.

Develop good study habits early. Do not police your children, forcing them to do homework. From the beginning, let them know that homework or study is a contract with the child and the teacher. You are there to support, encourage and guide, not to nag or do the homework for them.

Homework should be done as a habit at a particular time of day in a quiet, well-lit area as part of the daily routine. Provide a good study area for them with minimal distractions.

Done in this way with support from parents in an encouraging manner, homework will improve a child's skills, develop independence and allow the child to take responsibility for doing a task well.

Once the routine is formed, children will, one hopes, actively enjoy learning, will enjoy working things out for themselves. This will stand them in good stead when the heavy studying for examinations comes up in the future.

Promote a good self-image for your children by emphasising their best assets and encouraging them in their less skilful subjects.

Be patient - all children cannot be geniuses. Look for what they are good at and give support in that area. Accept that some children are visual and others may study better to hearing the work in tapes. Observe the way your child learns, if necessary with visual aids or making tapes for revision. If you are having any difficulties with study time or homework, don't be afraid to ask for advice.

If your child does not settle down to homework easily, try to make it sound interesting. Ask a young child to explain what the assignment is. Use your imagination on how to make the assignment more interesting to your particular child.

AT THE START, the younger child will need to be encouraged and prodded into the homework routine. But with lots of encouragement from you, asking questions, giving praise, there in the background if needed, a routine will develop.

It may be time-consuming to begin with but it will be a great investment in your child's future. As a psychologist once said: "the voice of reason, though soft, is insistent". Children can exasperate us and I believe even the kindest of parents do "lose their cool" at times. At these times we must try and hold ourselves in check; allowing ourselves to discharge this anger will not help our particular cause, whatever that might be. Remember that the "voice of reason" works better.

Set a good example and be interested in your life and the child's, be responsible and self-disciplined. "Do as I say and not as I do" generally does not work with children.

Finally, offer support whether at home or at school: it is vital that children and teenagers alike be praised for doing a job to the best of their ability. That may not be the top of the class. But, without reservation, praise children for trying their best.