CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION��1

1.1Background��1

1.1.1Chinese culture and traditional parenting��5

1.1.2Policies about parental involvement and ELLs��6

1.2Problem Statement��8

1.3Purpose of the Study��9

1.4Significance of the Study��10

1.5Research Questions��11

1.6Limitations��11

1.7Definitions of Terms��12

1.8Assumptions��14

CHAPTER 2LITERATURE REVIEW��15

2.1Theoretical Framework��15

2.1.1Ecological systems theory��16

2.1.2Vygotsky��s socio��cultural theory��17

2.1.3Parental involvement model��19

2.2Parental Beliefs��22

2.2.1The nature and origin of beliefs��22

2.2.2Current approaches on beliefs research��25

2.2.3The development of belief studies��28

2.2.4Parental beliefs and children��s development��29

2.3Parental Involvement��34

2.3.1Definitions of parental involvement��34

2.3.2Types of parental involvement��36

2.3.3Historical evolution of parental involvement��38

2.3.4Parental involvement and children��s learning��41

2.4Parental Involvement in the Early Years in China��44

2.5English Language Learning in China��46

2.6English Language Learning in the U.S.��50

CHAPTER 3METHODOLOGY��55

3.1Research Design��56

3.2Role of the Researcher��58

3.2.1Statement of beliefs ��58

3.2.2Research interests��59

3.3Setting and Participants��61

3.4Means of Data Collection��61

3.5Data Analysis and Coding��63

3.6Trustworthiness��64

3.6.1Peer review��64

3.6.2Sound recording��64

3.6.3Member check��65

3.6.4Triangulation��65

CHAPTER 4FINDINGS��66

4.1Participant Profiles��67

4.1.1Participant Victoria��68

4.1.2Participant Zhai��69

4.1.3Participant Si��69

4.1.4Participant Jie��69

4.1.5Participant Yin��70

4.1.6Participant Zhou��70

4.1.7Participant Fang��71

4.1.8Participant Rita��72

4.2Emergent Themes��72

4.3Parental Beliefs��73

4.3.1Importance of English learning��73

4.3.2English starting age��76

4.3.3Expectations for English learning��79

4.3.4English language skills (Q6)��82

4.4Parental Involvement��84

4.4.1Time of involvement��84

4.4.2Strategies of involvement (Home��based)��84

4.4.3Teacher��parent communication ��91

4.4.4Parents�� role��95

4.5Challenges and Barriers for Parent Involvement��99

4.5.1Time constraints��99

4.5.2Language proficiency��101

4.5.3Financial pressure��102

4.5.4Other barriers ��103

4.5.5Suggestions regarding parental involvement��103

CHAPTER 5DISCUSSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS��106

5.1Summary of Discussion��106

5.2Chinese Parents�� Beliefs in English Learning��107

5.3Chinese Parental Involvement��110

5.3.1Chinese parents�� home��based strategies��110

5.3.2Chinese parental involvement in schools��113

5.4Diverse Parenting Roles��114

5.5Barriers to Effective Parental Involvement��115

5.6Implications��118

5.6.1Implications for schools and teachers��118

5.6.2Implications for Chinese parents��120

CHAPTER 6CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS��122

REFERENCES��126

APPENDICES��146

Appendix A: Interview Questions��146

Appendix B: Background Information about the Parent and
Their Children��148

INDEX��150

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 21The Hoover��Dempsy & Sandler model of parental involvement��19

Figure 41Time spent each day in children��s English learning��84

LIST OF TABLES

Table 41Overview of the participants��68

Table 42Age of starting English learning��76

Table 43Most important English skills��82

Table 44Strategies parents adopted at home��85

Table 45Major forms of teacher��parent communication��92

Table 46Parents�� role in children��s English learning��95