Maternal Perceptions of Acculturation at the Onset of Child Schooling: Implications for Teachers

This qualitative study examined mothers’ perspectives on their preschoolers’ acculturation and the relationship to their own acculturation. Three acculturation processes emerged from the qualitative data that illustrate how mothers perceive their own and their child’s acculturation: parallel, vertex, and inter-segmented. Each type may have implications for teacher-parent interactions. This summary highlights how the results from the published article can be implemented in the classroom and how teachers can engage immigrant parents whose acculturation process may vary. Specifically, we emphasize the need to understand parents' approaches and expectations as they relate to cultural adaptations, especially at the onset of schooling