ERIC Number: EJ1078860
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Nov
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0739-9863
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Raising Bilingual Children: A Qualitative Study of Parental Attitudes, Beliefs, and Intended Behaviors
Lee, Michael; Shetgiri, Rashmi; Barina, Alexis; Tillitski, John; Flores, Glenn
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, v37 n4 p503-521 Nov 2015
We examined parental preferences in raising Spanish/English bilingual children. We identified factors influencing their decisions, and the strategies used to promote bilingualism. Focus groups were conducted with Spanish-primary-language parents of children 3 to 7 years old. These groups were audiotaped and transcribed. Three reviewers independently analyzed transcripts for themes using margin-coding and grounded theory; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Thirteen Spanish-primary-language parents participated in two focus groups. The results show that parents wanted their children to be bilingual. Parents also stated that the benefits of bilingualism included better career opportunities, and preservation of culture and native language. Family members, schools, and prior parental experiences influenced the parents' decisions to raise bilingual children. Parents preferred English-only school classes and to teach Spanish at home. Strategies identified for raising bilingual children included reading bilingual books and having children speak only Spanish at home. Schools and pediatricians are used as resources.
Descriptors: Bilingualism, Qualitative Research, Parent Attitudes, Intention, Behavior, Focus Groups, Spanish Speaking, English (Second Language), Language Usage, Immigrants, Hispanic Americans, Young Children, Questionnaires, Decision Making, Individual Characteristics, Mexican Americans, Language Proficiency, Educational Attainment, Parents, Cultural Influences, Barriers, Educational Environment, Language of Instruction, Language Skills
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH); National Center for Research Resources (NIH/DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: K23HD068401; KL2RR024983
Author Affiliations: N/A