Perspectives of Young Indian Children's Parents Regarding U.S. Educational Practices

Abstract

In recent decades, the composition of classrooms in the U.S. has reflected larger numbers of children who use English as their second language (ESL), including children of professional families from Indian backgrounds. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perspectives of Indian parents regarding their children’s early childhood education in the U.S. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indian parents of 6 children from a midwestern early-intervention preschool program. Each interview was coded by multiple researchers using line-by-line coding. Categories were developed, refined, expanded, and cross analyzed. Confirmability was achieved through triangulation, expert validation, respondent validation, and member checking. A discussion of findings is presented with recommendations designed to lay the foundation for a more productive relationship between early childhood education professionals and the parents of Indian children.