How parental factors influence children’s literacy development: Inequity in education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous studies have focused on how parental factors affect children’s learning development. This study aims to review previous findings and explain the relationship between child literacy development and parenting in terms of two environmental factors: family socioeconomic status (SES) and parents’ involvement based on positive role beliefs, especially when they have children in the early childhood and elementary years. Previous studies have found that children from lower SES families experience considerable disadvantages in their literacy development. However, other scholars argue that parental involvement based on positive role beliefs can meaningfully contribute to children’s improved literacy outcomes. Also, multiple studies point out that parents’ positive role beliefs can offset the disadvantages in children’s literacy development caused by low SES. By comparing the findings of previous studies, this article provides a foundation for future research on familial issues in child education.