An important objective of educators in the 1970's should be to help turn educationally deprived homes into homes that encourage and support learning achievement. (DB)

This study examined how providing either primary- or English-language storybooks for home reading followed by classroom storybook reading and vocabulary instruction in English influenced English vocabulary acquisition. Participants in the study were preschool children (N = 33), from low socioeconomic status families, whose primary language was…

This paper focuses on family involvement in the education of teenagers at risk of dropping out from compulsory secondary school. A questionnaire was completed by 131 Spanish and Cypriot families with children at six schools--three in each country. The questionnaire investigated: (1) parental perceptions of their children's activities in their free…

Framed within Coleman's theory of family capital, this article examines how different home variables such as family physical, human and social capital affect immigrant children's second-language acquisition in the homes of four Chinese immigrant families in Canada. Specifically, the study analyzes the relationships between family physical capital…

This investigation examined the implications of shift work for parent-adolescent relationship quality--intimacy, conflict, parental knowledge, and involvement--in a sample of 376 dual-earner families. The findings suggested that mothers' relationships with their adolescents were not negatively impacted by their working nonstandard schedules but…

Documents the range and frequency of literacy practices in 20 low-socioeconomic-status homes. Finds great variability in type and frequency of literacy events: children knew more about the alphabetic principle in homes where literate members read and wrote for their own entertainment and leisure; and parents' involvement was higher when children…

Since 1999, the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) has provided funding to provincial school authorities for projects designed to improve student learning and performance. Conducted in three-year cycles, this unique approach has successfully helped to initiate approximately 1,600 grassroots projects led by school districts, teachers,…

Most previous research on parental involvement in children's homework has focused on the pedagogical advantages or disadvantages of school assignments while neglecting the practice in its social context, family life. By studying parent-child homework negotiations in Swedish families, this paper examines how family members position themselves and…

Working with families is one of the most important aspects of being an early childhood professional, yet it is an area in which many educators have received little preparation (Nieto 2004). Teachers spend hours learning about child development, developmentally appropriate practices, health and safety, playgrounds, and play. At times it seems that…

In South African educational literature and educational research, the influence of the home and family environment on school achievement has not received the attention it deserves. The study under review shows that parents who play an active role in the homework and study programmes of their children contribute to their good performance in…

THE PROBLEMS OF GAINING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS A MAJOR ONE IN MANY OF THE PROGRAMS AIMED AT ASSISTING THE AMERICAN INDIAN. THIS PROBLEM IS USUALLY INTENSIFIED WHEN WHITE PERSONS, ASSUMING THAT THEY CAN DO MORE THAN THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, INTERVENE TO THE PARTIAL EXCLUSION OF THE INDIANS. IN SPITE OF THIS PROBLEM, THE HEAD START PROGRAMS FOR…

The goal of "closing the achievement gap" in education is often proclaimed and is emphasized in the "No Child Left Behind Act." What is meant by the achievement gap and how much progress has been made? A large body of literature examines the causes, conditions, and explanations for the achievement gap. Many educational…

Describes the development and implementation of a metaphorical (nonenforceable) family contract that sets forth parental responsibilities for assisting the public schools in the education of their children. Contract involves the home environment, use of the out-of-school time, and parent involvement with schooling. Discusses issues related to the…

Describes parents' and school psychologists' perspective on 33 parent-involvement activities aimed at enhancing students' school success. Although parents' mean ratings for use were higher than school psychologists' mean ratings of feasibility of implementation on 94% of activities, a high degree of similarity exists in rank order of activities…

This study examined how demographic and psychological factors shape the involvement of Japanese mothers in their children's education. The five demographic variables studied were family income, maternal education, family size, mothers' employment status, and sex of the child. Three forms of parental cognition were also studied: mothers'…