Parental Involvement as Social Capital: Exploring Intersectional Effects on the Reading Achievement of English Language Learners (Poster 13)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Seven
  In Poster Session: Critical Perspectives: Leveraging the Influence of Languages in Multilingual Contexts

Abstract

English language learners (ELLs) score significantly lower in reading achievement than their non-ELL counterparts (The Nation’s Report Card, 2022). With a lens of social capital theory, this study uses data from the second-grade wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten (N=18,174) to explore whether parental involvement is associated with reading performance gains at differing rates by ELL status. Additionally, an intersectional analysis reveals whether gender, race, and SES introduce additional disadvantages. Findings indicate that parents of ELLs are less involved in their child’s education suggesting that schools need outreach efforts to reduce ELL parent barriers as well as to inform ELL parents of the benefits of their involvement. Very few intersectional differences were found.

Authors

• Valerie Zarco, University of California - Riverside
  Presenting Author

• Gregory J. Palardy, University of California - Riverside
  Presenting Author