Effective Parental Strategies That Contribute to English Language Learners Being Reclassified out of English Language Development in Grades 3-5: A Case Study

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify effective parental involvement strategies used in the home by Spanish speaking parents of English Language Learner students in grades 3-5 who scored Early Advanced or Advanced on the California English Language Development Test. Methodology: This was a collective case study that interviewed Spanish speaking parents, guardians, or caregivers who were responsible for English Language Learners in grades 3-5. The study examined only those cases where students were reclassified out of English Language Development. The process was a face-to-face interview using tested semi-structured questions to answer the research questions. Findings: The data identified five common parental home-based involvement strategies. While the study uncovered a variety of parental involvement strategies in the home, it was the unique family situation that dictated the strategy to implement. Five common themes emerged as having an impact on the child being reclassified out of English Language Development in grades 3-5. These were: 1) Attended parent conferences or workshops; 2) Ensured the student read every night; 3) Engaged the student in Spanish dialogue; 4) Gave the student a schedule at home after school; and 5) Checked or assisted the student with homework daily. Conclusions: Family structures vary from home to home. Any type of parental involvement in the home will assist students in their academic journey. Parents who do not speak English can contribute to student educational success by ensuring they are showing interest in the student's schooling. Recommendations: While the study brought to the surface several findings which support existing literature, there were also areas in need of further research. One recommendation would be to expand on how speaking Spanish in the home contributed to the listening and speaking portion of the CELDT. A second recommendation would be to replicate this case study in a larger geographical area. A third recommendation would be to conduct a quantitative type study, using the same sample criteria. A fourth recommendation would be to interview Spanish speaking parents, guardians, or caregivers of ELLs who were not reclassified out of ELD in grades 3-5. A fifth recommendation would be to conduct this study using ELL's that were reclassified out of ELD in their middle school years. Finally, the sixth recommendation would be to replicate this study with primary language groups, other than Spanish. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]