Correlations of parental attitudes towards English learning with parental expectation, involvement and children's English achievement: A case study in Taipei's Wanhua and Da'an Districts

[[abstract]]The aim of this study was to investigate parental attitudes towards English learning, and to investigate its correlations with (a) children’s English academic performance, (b) parental expectation of children’s English education, (c) parental involvement in children’s English education. Parental attitudes towards English learning in this study included (a) parents’ feelings of ease about English learning and (b) parents’ overall feelings about English learning. The thesis considered a sample size of 300 parents of six graders from thirteen classes in six elementary schools in Taipei’s Wanhua District and Da'an District. The participants were asked to fill out the questionnaire, and their children’s English scores were provided by their teachers. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Correlation were used to analyze the questionnaire. Children’s English scores were standardized and transformed into T-scores. The major findings of this study were as follows 1. Parental attitudes towards English learning were similar in Wanhua District and Da'an District. Parents had positive attitudes towards English learning but in whole, they considered that learning English is not easy. In addition, the environment to learn English, to practice English or to use English was what parents needed most during the process of learning English as a foreign language. Listening, speaking, writing, and grammar were the most difficult parts for parents to learn. 2. There was a positive correlation between parental attitudes towards English learning and children’s English academic performance. 3. There was a positive correlation between parental attitudes towards English learning and parental expectation of children’s English education. 4. Parental attitude towards English learning was positively correlated with parental involvement in children’s English education. In addition, when instructing their children’s English schoolwork, most parents had the problems of their low English proficiency level, children’s lack of motivation and the lack of English learning environment for children. In addition, parents’ low English proficiency level and lack of time were two main factors that influenced parents’ involvement in children’s English education,. The results of the study suggested that English learning accesses and opportunities should be provided by government authorities or schools in order to promote parents’ English proficiency level and to get parents involved in their children’s English education. Second, the partnership between teachers and parents should be enlisted in children’s English education, especially meaningful involvement. Finally, for parents, they may create the opportunities for English learning by learning English with their children. Parents’ mature cognition may help facilitate children’s English education.