Trans-Immigrant Korean Parents’ Choice for Their Child’s Preschool in Canada: A Parent Perspective

• In Event: Roundtable Session 66
  In Roundtable Session: The Transnational Nature of Schooling: Redefining Global in Schooling Contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate what influences Korean immigrant children’s attendance in Korean preschool in Canada from Korean immigrant parents’ perspective. I conducted interviews with a Korean trans-immigrant family who chose Korean preschool as their child’s first school. The findings suggest that Korean immigrant parents saw the Korean preschool as playing an important role in supporting the family and the child emotionally and socially, with functions such as reducing cultural shock, opening communication, fostering the learning of Korean, and supporting the family’s expectations for preparing for higher education. This study provides insights for educators in Canada and the US by listening to immigrant parents’ voices and concerns and yields ideas for developing collaborative partnerships with immigrant families.

Authors

• Jaehee Kwon, University of Georgia - Athens

• Martha A. Allexsaht-Snider, University of Georgia