Parent-teacher Communication Research Articles

Are family-teacher communication quality and child and family characteristics associated with head start children's classroom engagement? It's complicated

Children's classroom engagement during the first years of formal schooling is foundational to their academic success. Previous research has found that the quality of communication between parents and teachers as well as child and family characteristics are associated with children's engagement scores in the classroom. However, research remains limited, and most has been conducted among middle and high school students. Even less is known about the role of communication quality between parents and teachers on children's classroom engagement during preschool, when children are encountering the formal education system for the first time and the foundation for their school trajectories are being laid. This study explores the association between parent-teacher communication quality and child and family characteristics on the classroom engagement scores of 326 low-income, ethnoracially and linguistically diverse children attending Head Start, using a teacher and observer-rated measure of child engagement. Results showed that when teachers perceived having a high-quality communication with the child's parent, the child was rated to be more engaged in the classroom by both their teachers and independent observers. However, parent and child characteristics (i.e., parent race/ethnicity, children's English language skills, child gender, and child age) were only significantly associated with children's classroom engagement when rated by their teachers but not by independent observers. These findings suggest that building relationships with families early on might be a promising way that schools can support the wellbeing of minoritized children.

Mobile-mediated home-school partnership: attitudes and expectations of teachers, parents and students

In the past decades, mobile communication has been one of the fastest growing businesses in the world. In Italy, like in others European countries, there are more mobile phones than inhabitants. Everyone is able to use a mobile phone (contrary to a computer, the simple training necessary to use a cell-phone is done quickly and informally). Mobile communication has become an important part of our everyday life. In schools, mobile phones are generally considered to be a nuisance; but given their pervasive diffusion, they could also be used as a means to foster parent-teacher communication. In our paper, the results of three focus groups are presented, showing different and sometimes conflicting expectations and attitudes of teachers, parents and students toward a mobile-mediated home-school partnership.

Spanish-Speaking Hispanic/Latino Families Education-Related Parental Involvement Practices

ABSTRACT Under current and prominent definitions, the rates of parental involvement among Hispanic/Latino families have been historically low. However, empirical evidence suggests that parental involvement can be perceived/practiced in varied ways. This work explored these perceptions held by Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latino families through focus groups (n = 10) and individual interviews (n = 23) with parents of school-age children. Findings suggest that Spanish-speaking parents define parental involvement to include the emphasis of educación (a recognition that children’s moral compasses and respectful behavior are a part of their formal education) and a parent-centered approach (involving the children in the parents everyday life), while navigating language barriers. Both Spanish- and English-speaking parents endorsed low parent-teacher communication and strong educational aspirations for their children. That is, parents expressed wanting their children to have a better life than the lives the parents have experienced themselves. This study offers empirical evidence that Spanish-speaking families are highly involved in their children’s academic development and perceive themselves to play a critical role in their children’s educational success. A shared understanding of values including culturally responsive measures to assess diverse parental involvement practices and adopting a cultural lens among teachers/educators is needed to accommodate diverse cultural parental involvement practices. Study findings can inform policies and practice to help pre-service teachers and educators to understand factors that determine Spanish-speaking families’ engagement in school-based parental involvement.

Use of technology-based assessments: a systematic review covering over 30 countries

ABSTRACT The widespread adoption of technology-based assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated concerns about the digital divide, given global disparities in digital access, connectivity, and coping strategies. This systematic review was intended to assess how the use of technology-based assessments has affected the education system’s functioning in pre-college education, compared to traditional assessments. It covered 34 countries from 34 full-text English sources in 2018–2022. A total of 12 assumptions were tested, corresponding to six hypotheses about the learning, educating, and management facets associated with the use of technology-based assessments. Our findings revealed mixed evidence about technology-based assessments in reducing cheating, enhancing learning, supporting monitoring, improving instruction, and reducing non-teaching workload. However, strong evidence supported the assumptions that technology-based assessments improve measurement precision, interpretability, engagement, interaction, and teacher-parent communication. Limited but positive evidence supported the assumptions that technology-based assessments may reduce the cost and time of test administration.

Parental Involvement Influencing Academic Performance: A Study of Students’ Perceptions

Research studies demonstrate that when parents are maximally involved in their child's academics, it is likely to claim that the child is performing well and confidently at every stage of an academic journey. In the Pakistani context, this integral factor is not only failed to be noticed by the parents but also by the students themselves. Therefore, there seems a dire need to conduct a study that keeps the perceptions of students into account. The current study aims to analyze the perceptions of students about parental involvement influencing their academic performance at semi-government Middle level school of district Sukkur, Pakistan. The population of the study includes 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Convenient sampling strategy was used to select desired sample. The quantitative research approach was opted using a self-developed questionnaire reviewed by content and construct experts. The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The overall findings of this studies show that students perceived that parents should keep monitoring their child's studies, and there should be a parent-teacher communication and child-parent communication as regards the children’s academic performance. The respondents attached importance to parental involvement in school activities. This study recommends some actionable measures to increase parental involvement in Middle level students' academics such as schools should re-develop the (PTA) meetings; teachers must be trained to communicate effectively with parents regarding minute aspect like; child's readiness, and parents should limit the screen time of their child during their study hours. Lastly, the study presents implications for parents, school administrators, and students to bridge the gap.

Modalități de dezvoltare a abilităților de comunicare la elevii din familii vulnerabile

Within families affected by socio-economic and cultural disadvantage, proper communication situations are infrequent or likely to trigger negative emotional effects. Children growing up in such families are less involved in communicative activities with their parents and may be emotionally inhibited, thus causing mothers to complain about the youngsters’ passivity (Piff, Moskowitz, 2018). Researchers have put forward several methods for preparing parents in disadvantaged families to optimize verbal communication with their children as well as to improve parent-teacher communication. In order to manage the quality of communication in the case of families vulnerable due to socio-economic and cultural disadvantage, pre-school staff, teachers, speech therapists, and school counselors should establish personalized programs meant to develop the communicative abilities of both parents and children

Problems Encountered in Distance Initial Literacy Teaching During the Pandemic Period (Covid-19)

This study aims to examine the problems encountered in the period of distance initial literacy teaching during the pandemic based on the first-grade primary school teachers' opinions. In this qualitative study, data were collected through the interview technique. The study group of the study was determined by the criterion sampling method. The study group consist of 11 classroom teachers who taught initial literacy teaching during pandemic period. The data were analyzed by content analysis using Maxqda software. The results of this study show that problems encountered in the distance initial literacy teaching during the pandemic period were grouped under three themes: "Technology", "Interaction," and "Initial Literacy Teaching Process". According to the opinions of classroom teachers, there were problems with internet access during this period. There are insufficient educational technology devices such as computers, tablet computers, etc. The competency of students and parents to use technology is quite insufficient. Students behaved arbitrarily on attendance to classes, and problems occurred in parental support, teacher-student communication, and teacher-parent communication. During the initial literacy teaching process, problems such as holding the pen incorrectly, not being able to organize the notebook, writing the letter incorrectly, not being able to understand and inability to combine sounds, and not being able to dictate were seen. Problems such as measurement and assessment problems, unable to feedback to students, and difficulty in following student progress were determined.

Communication and collaboration: The paradox of the new competency-based curriculum in Kenya

Successful implementation of any curriculum is built on the foundation of teamwork among all stakeholders. The new competency-based curriculum in Kenya encourages teachers and parents to cooperate and communicate in order to implement the curriculum effectively. Being a new innovation, the channels of communication and collaboration used to involve parents in their children’s education have not been empirically documented. The purpose of this study is to explore communication and collaboration between teachers and parents for effective implementation of the competency-based curriculum in Kenya. Schramm’s interactive model of communication was adopted as a theoretical framework for this study. This study adopted a qualitative approach that used a grounded theory research design based on a relativist–interpretivist paradigm. The study focused on teachers and parents in 395 primary schools in Vihiga County. Purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used in selecting 12 teachers and 20 parents. Data was collected using interviews and analysed inductively using the grounded theory method of analysis through the constant comparative technique. The study established that teachers and parents were reported to be using several communication channels. These channels proved ineffective because each one used them separately. These frequently led to breakdowns in communication and insufficient teacher-parent cooperation in the implementation of the curriculum. Therefore, this study suggests using a number of complementary communication and cooperation methods. It is hoped that the implementation of the findings of these studies will enhance parent-teacher communication and collaboration.

Epstein Framework of Parental Engagement a Key to Student Success of the Primary School Students: A Case Study of Yiwu Dongzhou, China

This study aims to understand parental participation behaviours and suggest strategies to support parental engagement in children's learning at Yiwu Dongzhou Primary School in Zhejiang, China. The study adopted a mixed method and interviewed six parents at all levels in-depth using a quantitative sample of 216 parents representing 1,600 pupils. WeChat was used to collect the data, which was then analyzed using Excel and SPSSPRO software for content analysis and descriptive statistics? The findings showed that 83% of the sample parents were mothers, 98% lived in two-parent households, and 65% were between 36 and 45. High school (44%) and middle school (27%) had the most parents with a degree. Parental involvement in decision-making and Volunteering was comparatively low. The results led to many recommendations for improving parental involvement at Yiwu Dongzhou Primary School. The scope of activities for parental participation should be expanded, teacher-parent communication channels should be improved, parent workshops or training should be organised to support learning at home, and community networks should be fostered to offer support and resources for families through cooperative educational activities and forums for parents to share experiences.

The Influences of Socioeconomic Status on Parental Educational Expectations: Mediating and Moderating Effects

Previous research found positive correlations among family socioeconomic status, parental educational expectations, and children’s academic performance. However, more research is needed to validate the mediation effects of teacher–parent communication on family socioeconomic status and parental educational expectations. Employing multilevel path analysis of SPSS, the present study aims to examine the mediating and moderating mechanisms between socioeconomic status and educational expectations by establishing a framework incorporating socioeconomic status, educational expectations, teacher–parent communication, and coronavirus anxiety. We create a large sample of K-12 school students’ parents from southeastern China (N = 4403). The findings show that socioeconomic status positively influences parental educational expectations, socioeconomic status influences educational expectations through teacher–parent communication and coronavirus anxiety moderates the effect of socioeconomic status on teacher–parent communication. This research highlights how teacher–parent communication reflects the relationship between socioeconomic status and educational expectations in Chinese families in the post-COVID-19 era. The practical implications of these findings for parents, teachers, and schools are discussed.

Little things mean a lot: parent perspectives on positive teacher-parent communication when students have disability

ABSTRACT Productive teacher-parent partnerships are important to successful student outcomes and rely on positive teacher-parent communication, particularly when students have disability. Through semi-structured focus group and individual interviews, 17 parents of students with disability provided first-hand accounts of teacher communication that facilitated successful teacher-parent partnership. Key findings include the importance of the ‘little things’ that teachers say and do, for example, welcoming, day-to-day interactions that are foundational to effective teacher-parent communication. Other important contributions include examples of how teachers operationalise constructive communication, and contextual factors that enable positive teacher-parent interactions (for example, location, time). It was concluded that, despite extensive evidence in the literature of communication difficulties between teachers and parents of students with disability, many successful practices are being used by teachers. The findings reported here provide authentic insights into positive, productive teacher-parent communication strategies.

An Investigation into Communication between Teachers and Parents of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Many schools emphasize the family partnership and its educational function. Cooperation between the school and the home is an essential building block of educational success. Since the family is the basis of the social system, this partnership is rooted in values and traditions. It also meets parents’ need for a sense of respect. The main objective of the study is to determine the nature of communication between teachers and parents of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its relationship to the students’ performance level, as described in their individualized educational program (IEP). A descriptive correlational approach was used. The sample consisted of 50 male and 14 female teachers; data were collected using a validated questionnaire prepared by researchers. The main research findings show that the level of communication between teachers and parents of students with ASD was low (from the teachers' perspectives) while the students' performance levels were average. There was a positive correlation between parent–teacher communication and student performance. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in communication based on the teachers’ gender (in favor of female teachers) and educational levels (in favor of those with a post-graduate degree). Based on these results, it can be concluded that communication between teachers and the parents of children with ASD is important and can improve their academic performance.

Teachers’ Collaboration with Parents of First-Grade Pupils during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This qualitative study aimed to enhance our comprehension of how first-grade teachers communicated and collaborated with the parents of their pupils during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants’ experiences of teacher-parent communication were gathered using semi-structured in-depth non-directive interviews, which yielded three patterns: pressure; positive, enjoyable communication; and communication difficulties. Recognizing the significance of maintaining ongoing communication with parents, especially for young children, teachers remained committed and attentive, taking the initiative to establish platforms that facilitated communication. The study acknowledges its limitations and suggests future research opportunities to further deepen our understanding of the two-way dialogue between teachers and parents of first graders, who often bear significant concerns as their children enter the education system.

The Effect of Childcare Teachers' Communication Ability and Self-reflection Intelligence on Parent-teacher Communication

본 연구의 목적은 보육교사를 대상으로 의사소통능력과 자기성찰지능이 부모-교사 의사소통에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 분석하는데 있다. 이를 위하여 I시에 소재한 유치원 및 어린이집에 재직 중인 보육교사 215명을 대상으로 설문 조사를 실시하였다. 수집된 자료는 SPSS 28.0 통계 프로그램을 사용하여 통계 처리 하였다. 측정도구의 신뢰도 검증을 위해서 Cronbach’s α 계수를 산출하였다. 또한 Pearson의 상관분석과 다중회귀분석을 실시하였다. 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 보육교사의 의사소통능력, 자기성찰지능은 모두 부모-교사 의사소통에 통계적으로 유의미한 정적 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 보육교사의 의사소통능력, 자기성찰지능 모두 부모-교사 의사소통에 영향을 미치는 변수로 나타났으며, 의사소통능력보다 자기성찰지능이 부모-교사 의사소통능력에 상대적으로 더 큰 영향력을 미치는 변인으로 밝혀졌다.The purpose of this study is to analyze how communication skills and self-reflection intelligence affect parent-teacher communication for early childhood teachers. To this end, a survey was conducted on 215 childcare teachers working in kindergartens and daycare centers located in I-city. Cronbach's α coefficient was calculated to verify the reliability of the research instruments, and pearson's correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results of this study are as follows. First, childcare teachers' communication skills and introspection intelligence all had a statistically significant positive correlation with parent-teacher communication. Second, both childcare teachers' communication skills and self-reflection intelligence were found to be variables that affect parent-teacher communication, and self-reflection intelligence was found to have a relatively greater influence on parent-teacher communication skills than communication skills.

The role of school-home communication in supporting the development of children’s and adolescents’ digital skills, and the changes brought by COVID-19

School-home communication is a growing research field in social sciences, particularly in education sciences and communication studies. While previous studies have paid much attention to the importance of school-home interaction in supporting primary academic socialisation and progress of elementary school pupils, the role of teacher-parent communication and collaboration in influencing the development of children’s and adolescents’ digital skills remains an under-researched area. This paper employed thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with education experts in six European countries, providing an insight into their opinions and views on the problems in communication between homes and schools. The analysis identified main problems in and obstacles to school-home collaboration on children’s digital skills development, and the changes the COVID-19 pandemic brought along in this field of education. The paper provides five policy recommendations for enhancing school-home collaboration on digital skills development.

Safe educational partnership with parents: a new integrative model of parent-teacher relationships in a diverse, polarized and changing society

During recent decades, there have been far-reaching social changes in Western countries, that have affected parent-teacher relationships dramatically. The worldwide Covid19 crisis has exacerbated educational gaps, especially among disadvantaged populations. Therefore, restoring parent-teacher relationships is a key factor in reducing inequality. However, many models of parent-teacher communication have not yet been updated to include multicultural approach or socio-systemic work. Accordingly, we propose a new integrative applicable model: safe educational partnership with parents. This model is based on cultivating psychological safety, including identity safety, as a necessary condition for building close relations. For this purpose, the teacher has to work in three levels: 1) intra-personal level 2) inter-personal level and 3) institutional-organizational level. Educators and counselors can use this model to lead protected empathetic interactions with parents and promote an environment with a perspective of "value in diversity", for the benefit of restoring trusting relationships with parents and reducing gaps.

Cumulative Experience of Educational Assets from Preschool through First Grade and the Social-emotional Well-being of English- and Spanish-Speaking Children

Children’s social and emotional experiences influence brain development and are therefore central to outcomes of behavior, learning, and health. The current study examined associations between children’s cumulative educational assets in the early grades and end of first grade social-emotional outcomes for children from English- and Spanish-speaking families. Data were drawn from a sample of preschool-aged children (N = 1,132) from low-income families in a large, culturally, and linguistically diverse sample followed annually from pre-kindergarten through first grade. A multi-method, multi-informant approach was used to assess predictor and outcome variables. Results indicate overall that cumulative experiences of educational assets (teacher-student interaction and relationships, parent-teacher communication) were associated with indicators of children’s social-emotional well-being and matter in similar ways for children from English- and Spanish-speaking families. However, we did find some evidence of significant interactions of Spanish as a home language with cumulative educational assets on children’s conduct problems and feelings about peers.

Preschool teacher-parent communication during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: Relation to the parental engagement at home

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the education system moved to an online format. Parents of pre-schoolers therefore became the primary educators responsible for the sustainability of their children?s education. Communication with teachers was the only available support resource. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between preschool teacher-parent communication (frequency, content of exchange, and satisfaction with the teacher?s support) and parental engagement in home-learning activities. An online questionnaire was sent to 1646 parents of children attending preschools. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the communication frequency between parents and preschool teachers was a significant predictor of parent engagement in home-learning activities, but the effects were small. Unexpectedly, parents more engaged in face-to-face home-learning activities were less satisfied with the teacher support. The study suggests that one-way digital communication with a clear role division between experts and parents has a limited effect on the parents? engagement and sustainability of preschool education in times of crisis.

The study of early childhood sexual education in Hangzhou

In recent years, the rise in sexual assault cases has led to increased emphasis on sex education. China has incorporated it into its legal framework to prevent assault among minors. This article delves into sex education through an interview with a Hangzhou kindergarten teacher, addressing two key questions: How is sex education implemented in Hangzhou kindergartens, and what challenges do educators face? The interview data is analyzed concerning content, methods, and influencing factors. The kindergarten employs a segmented approach with limited depth and avoids sensitive topics. A major challenge in Chinese sex education is the scarcity of resources compared to countries like the UK, the US, and Finland. Domestic kindergartens mainly use picture books, while international ones employ multimedia, peer education, and interactive tools with age-appropriate instruction. The article advocates enriching China’s sex education with diversity and scientific rigor, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive training and better parent-teacher communication to enhance effectiveness.

교사-유아 상호작용 유형에 영향을 미치는 요인

Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of teacher-child interaction and to examine factors affecting different patterns of teacher-child interactions in preschool.
 Methods This study analyzed the data from 4th year Korean Children Panel Study(KCPS), including 761 teachers and children of preschool. Latent class analysis and multiple logistic linear models were used for data analysis to classify teacher-child interactions and factors affecting the patterns of teacher-child interactions.
 Results First, teacher-child interaction patterns were classified into four latent groups: Low Levels Group (4.2%); Middle-Low Levels Group(46.7%); Middle-High Levels Group(28.0%); High Levels Group(21.1%). Second, the influence of relevant variables across different latent classes was confirmed. Class environment in preschool, parent-teacher communication and teacher’s self-efficacy had significant effects on the classification of latent classes.
 Conclusions The results of this study suggested the necessity of systematic support for the improvement of class environment and teacher-parent communication as well as teacher self-efficacy in preschool.