The early childhood years are critical for literacy development, and there is evidence that the home environments of young children with delays or disabilities are not as rich in literacy opportunities as those of their typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to obtain information about how parents of infants and toddlers with…

This ESRC-funded study explores how 3-year-old children use a range of "voices" during their first year in pre-school, investigating how they make and express meaning "multimodally" through combinations of talk, body movement, facial expression and gaze in the two different settings of home and playgroup. Using longitudinal…

This longitudinal study investigated changes and continuities in the quality of communication between parents during the period when the oldest child in the family passes through the transition from childhood to adolescence. Furthermore, possible links were explored between adolescents' differential assessments of the quality of relationship with…

This publication reports the proceedings of the Fenno-Hungarian Conference on Recent Family Types, which was held in Lahti, Finland, in July, 1989. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the effect of changing social conditions on the family, family types, and home education in Hungary and Finland. A series of papers was presented. Topics…

A review of the research on the effects of parental influence and parental involvement on children's reading achievement indicates that when parents take an active and positive part in their child's education the results often turn out well for the student. Parental influence is defined as any opinion, attitude, or action (other than direct…

This study, conducted by the Bernard Van Leer Foundation Project for Early Childhood Education (PECE), presents the results of a survey which was carried out to identify home deficits in socioeconomically disadvantaged children's preparation for schooling. The study was conducted in Jamaica during July, August, and September, 1970, and was…

The relationship between parents' attitudes, and elementary school children's attitudes toward self and toward school were examined in two age groups: first graders who were studied through grade 3, and fourth graders who were studied through grade 6. Five tests were administered to the children: Attitude Toward School, Piers-Harris Children's…

This 116-item interview schedule designed for parents who failed to respond to the Questionnaire for Parents, is individually administered to the mother of the child of elementary school age. It consists of scales measuring 14 parent variables plus a section devoted to demographic variables: (1) parent's achievement aspirations for the child, (2)…

The purpose of this study was to identify and explain factors which account for rural youths having lower attendance records and lower educational attainment than urban youths. The major objectives were: (1) to determine the factors affecting the school attendance and attainment of rural youths; (2) to determine the life aspirations of rural…

Despite the plethora of new electronic media aimed at very young children, little is known about which media are available to children and whether or how children engage with them. This study reports on a nationally representative telephone survey of more than 1,000 parents of children ages 6 months through 6 years, conducted in Spring 2003. The…

A case study examined the nature of parent involvement in five Mexican-origin, migrant families with children who were highly successful students. The families had their home base in different regions of Texas. Each had a child recognized as an exemplary migrant high school graduate, and together the families had more than 40 academically…

Examines differences in home environments of higher and lower achieving Puerto Rican fifth- and sixth-graders in urban Pennsylvania. Investigates parents' aspirations, concern for use of language, parental reinforcement, knowledge of child's educational progress, and value orientations. Links home environment to achievement. Discusses implications…

Family interaction and home socialization concerning education issues were described for six Mexican-American families in California with six children in grade two. The strengths of the families have important relevance for education, regardless of the different ways the parents exercised their roles, particularly with regard to homework. (SLD)

Conducted a pilot questionnaire study on Singaporean family reading practices. Found that in the majority of homes, the mother initiated reading of mostly fictional material borrowed from public libraries. Reading aloud to children occurred in about one-third of homes, with direct reading instruction occurring in over two-thirds of families. Found…

Young children develop social and emotional competence through interactions with others in the two major contexts in which they spend time: home and preschool. This study examined whether parenting stress in the home context is related to the children's behaviour while in preschool. Previous research has suggested that parenting stress negatively…