A Qualitative Study of Parents’ Beliefs, Involvement, and Challenges in Children’s English Education in China

• In Event: Roundtable Session 17
  In Roundtable Session: Language and Literacy Education: Global Perspectives

Abstract

This qualitative research study with 10 Chinese parents explored parental beliefs, involvement, and challenges in support of their child’s English language development. Findings indicated that all participants highly valued their child’s English education and emphasized the short and long-term advantages of learning English in early years. All participants expressed a strong motivation to support their child’s English education. Parents were involved in the roles of a financial provider, guide, and learning-partner. Challenges to parental involvement came from both home and outside sources. The researcher recommends that English education preschool programs recruit skilled bilingual or English preschool teachers, implement an interactive, child-centered English language curriculum, and design home-school partnership programs. Policy makers must design policies to support English education preschool programs.

Authors

• Zaodi Sun Sun, California State University - Long Beach

• Jyotsna Pattnaik, California State University - Long Beach