The Perceived Effect of Parental Participation on the Academic Achievement of Female English as a Second Language Middle School Students in the Persian Gulf Region

Abstract

This article provides a description of a correlational study that examined parents’ views on the impact of parental participation on female English as a second language (ESL) middle school students’ academic achievement in the Persian Gulf Region. A Likert-type survey based on the research literature explored the relationship between the 12 patterns of parental participation (e.g., monitoring student grades, parental expectations, etc.) and students’ academic achievement, as measured by parent report of the students' numerical grade averages. Findings showed that although there was no significant correlation between reported parental involvement and students’ academic averages overall, significant correlations were obtained for two subsamples of Saudi and Palestinian parents. Barriers that deter parents from participating in their daughters’ academics were identical to those reported among Hispanic and Asian parents in the United States. The article concludes with a discussion of the results and recommendations for future research.