Latinx Parents' Voices: An Asset-Based Approach to Understanding Parental Involvement and Engagement

• In Event: Parent Voices in Multilingual Contexts

Abstract

Spanish-speaking English learners’ parents need access to become involved and engaged in schools and learning. We chose a sequential explanatory mixed-methodology to examine relationships about parental beliefs and behaviors in regard to parental involvement and engagement. Survey data from parents revealed many relationships among parental beliefs about parental involvement and engagement as well as their behaviors related to school engagement. To further explain these phenomena, we conducted a parent focus group that revealed the behaviors of parents from an asset-based, community cultural wealth point of view (Yosso, 2005). Data analysis indicated that this group of Latinx, Spanish-speaking parents believed that parental involvement and engagement are related and that they would enact both to foster learning in their children.

Authors

• Victor Antonio Lozada, University of North Texas - Dallas

• Liliana Grosso Richins, Texas Woman's University

• Holly H. Hansen-Thomas, Texas Woman's University

• Suzan South, Texas Woman's University

• Mandy Stewart, Texas Woman's University