A novel way of promoting parent involvement was tested: homework was given to preschool parents, to read to their children at home using the dialogical reading method. An earlier study showed that the homework led to actual increases in children's pre-literacy skills. The current study investigated whether the parents in the experimental group actually changed their overall amount or type of parent involvement with the program, as compared to control group parents. Results show that the preschool parental homework led to a shift in the content of parent-teacher communications. They became much more focused on the individual child's development. The findings suggest that parents can respond enthusiastically to homework from their child care program, this homework can contribute to a shift in the nature of teacher-parent communications, and can have significant impacts on child development. (author abstract)