Parental Involvment in Children's Initial Literacy Learning In Primary Schools in Mungwi District,Zambia

Kasakula, Maureen C.

Parental Involvment in Children's Initial Literacy Learning In Primary Schools in Mungwi District,Zambia

Date

2016

Authors

Kasakula, Maureen C.

Publisher

University of Zambia

Abstract

This study sought to establish how primary schools ensured that there is Parental involvement in children‟s initial literacy learning in primary schools. The following objectives were addressed in the study: 1.to establish how primary schools ensure that parents have opportunities for involvement in the literacy learning of their children. 2. to ascertain how primary schools provide access for parents to participate in capacity building opportunities that aim at improving their children‟s literacy skills 3.to establish whether or not school organised Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meetings include components that facilitate involvement of parents in their children‟s initial literacy learning 4. to ascertain if there are any aspects of PI in the primary teacher training literacy syllabus that address how teachers can involve parents in their children‟s literacy learning 5.to establish what policy or policies primary schools have that foster PI in children‟s initial literacy learning. The study utilised a qualitative data collection research design methodology. Data was collected through document analysis, conducting interviews and focus group discussions with 104 respondents who included 4 school administrators, 15 teachers, 40 parents and 40 grades 3 and 4 children drawn from four primary schools, 2 officials from the Provincial Education Office (PEO) and 2 from the District Education Board Secretary‟s (DEBS) office drawing participants from the Standards office and Teacher Education Department respectively. 1 Head of Department (HoD) from a College of Education was also included. In this study, it was established that in teacher training college syllabuses, there were no deliberate methodological strategies aimed at equipping teachers with skills that would help them involve parents in the initial literacy learning of their children. The study further established that the policy that could guide teachers on how to involve parents in their children‟s initial literacy learning was incorporated in the National Homework Policy developed by the Ministry of Education for all subjects across the curriculum although DEBS and PEO officials appeared not to be aware of this. The study also established that school organised PTA meetings did not facilitate PI in children‟s initial literacy learning in primary schools. However, in many primary schools, PI in children‟s initial literacy learning was only achieved through the strategies put in place by some cooperating partners working with the schools such as Read To Succeed (RTS) a Non-governmental organisation (NGO) supported by USAID. The study further established that with the help of cooperating partners such as RTS, some parents and teachers were able to have access to knowledge, information and material support used in the initial literacy teaching programs. That way, parents were able to actively get involved in their children‟s initial literacy learning. Some of the recommendations this study makes are that teacher education should seriously consider including components on PI in the college literacy syllabus to facilitate teachers‟ involvement of parents in children‟s initial literacy learning in primary schools; DEBS and PEO officials should acquaint themselves with what the National Homework Policy says on PI in children‟s Literacy learning for them to coordinate and reinforce PI in children‟s literacy learning in primary schools. PEO and DEBS offices should take a leading role in fostering PI in children‟s literacy learning to enhance sustainability in primary schools