Exploring Relations Among Parent-Teacher Ethnic and Language Match, Communication Quality, and Barriers Toward Family Engagement

• In Event: Race, Ethnicity, Religion, and Language in the Classroom

Abstract

Family engagement is central to early childhood education as it associates with children’s academic success and socio-emotional well-being. However, caregivers (i.e., parents or other primary caretakers) from low-income, ethnic minority families continue to face multiple contextual, structural, and relational barriers, contributing to their low rates of school-based family engagement. The present study examined whether ethnic, language, and formal education match between Head Start caregivers and their children’s teachers, along with caregivers’ perceived communication quality with the teacher was related to caregivers’ perceptions of barriers to school-based engagement. Findings revealed that race/ethnicity- and language-match between caregivers and teachers, as well as caregivers’ perceived communication quality with teachers were significantly associated with caregivers’ perceived barriers towards school-based engagement.

Authors

• Lok-Wah Li, Tufts University

• Wendy Ochoa, Tufts University

• Leticia Rocha

• Christine M McWayne, Tufts University

• Sunah (Sarah) Hyun, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School