Title

Leveling Hispanic Family-School Barriers

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Educational Administration

Date of Award

Fall 2011

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the degree to which parents' ability to speak English affects their partnership with the school community, specifically in assisting their child with skill practice and homework. The study examined the parental level of education and whether their level of education affected their confidence in their ability to help their child with school work. An important aspect of this research explored if an English language course offered to parents would affect their confidence level and participation with their child's school. The study took place in a public school in east Texas. A pretest-posttest control group design was used in the study with a parental survey and the Woodcock Mu�oz Language Survey (Revised) used to collect data in the pre and post measurement. The independent variable was participation in four hours of language classes each week for fourteen weeks for the experimental group. Dependent variables were measured using the parent survey and the Woodcock-Mu�oz Language Survey (Revised) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to answer eight research questions and three hypotheses. The English course itself did not increase the quantity of time that parents help their children with reading and math; however, parents' confidence in their English language ability was positively affected by the English language course. Confidence in English ability was not a statistically significant predictor of academic assistance they gave their children before the English language course; however, after the English language course, 17% of the variance in the amount of help they gave their children can be explained by parents' confidence in their English ability. There was a statistically significant effect on time between pre and post English language scores for Broad English Ability and for Reading-Writing. Broad English Ability provided a significant contribution to the prediction of parents' confidence in their English ability.

Advisor

James Vornberg

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Administration and Supervision

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