Family Influences on Early Grade Reading and Mathematics Linda Zuze 28 September 2017

Overview Why collect data on families Rethinking family influences Example from TIMSS Example from EGRS Lessons learned

Why collect data on families? Coleman revisited Outside influences on schooling Support for learning Verification of school information

Why collect data on families? Demographic Parental education Educational resources Extra lessons Chores Nutrition Home language Home possessions Lifestyle Grade repetition Educational support Structural features of the home Attitudes about school Homework Household structure Early learning Source of lighting Main care giver Absence from school

Why collect data on families? Demographic Parental education Educational resources Extra lessons Chores Nutrition Home language Home possessions Lifestyle Grade repetition Educational support Structural features of the home Attitudes about school Homework Household structure Early learning Source of lighting Main care giver Absence from school

Why collect data on families? Demographic Parental education Educational resources Extra lessons Chores Nutrition Home language Home possessions Lifestyle Grade repetition Educational support Structural features of the home Attitudes about school Homework Household structure Early learning Source of lighting Main care giver Absence from school

Why collect data on families? Demographic Parental education Educational resources Extra lessons Chores Nutrition Home language Home possessions Lifestyle Grade repetition Educational support Structural features of the home Attitudes about school Homework Household structure Early learning Source of lighting Main care giver Absence from school

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting Intangible qualities of parenting Different from traditional definitions Two Dimensions: Communicate importance of education to a child (success = school achievement part of self definition) Create an environment where learning can flourish (basic needs met)

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Rethinking Family Influences Accounts for variation in achievement for children who are similarly advantaged… Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling or disadvantaged… Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Some Examples from TIMSS

TIMSS 2015 C Source: TIMSS 2015 Grade 9 Data, South Africa

TIMSS 2015 Schoolwork is so difficult that parents/caregivers are unable to help Source: TIMSS 2015 Grade 9 Data, South Africa

TIMSS 2015 Proportion of Grade 5 parents who engage 'often' with learners in early educational activities Benefits of parental involvement strongest for younger children (Grades 1 to 5). Source: TIMSS 2015 Grade 5 Data, South Africa

TIMSS 2015 Home Educational Resources and Average Mathematics Achievement Source: TIMSS 2015 Grade 5 Data, South Africa

Some Examples from EGRS Between 2015 and 2017, DBE partnered with the North West Provincial Education Department to pilot and evaluate three interventions in a selection of schools. Two interventions focused on providing support to teachers. The third was intended to increase parental involvement in developing the reading skills of their children 4500 children in total

Parental Influences on Reading Scores If a learner’s school bag was checked on most days or at least once a week, and the parent of the child thought that the child read better than their peers, these learners achieved significantly better results on the reading test. Accurate perception of how well child reads also an indicator of parental involvement. Less than 5% of parents had “inflated” views of their child’s reading (thought that their child read ‘better than others’ when their child was in the bottom 50% of the class. Less than 5% of parents had “deflated” views of their child’s reading (thought that their child read ‘worse than others’ when their child was in the top 50% of the class. Positive association between parental perceptions of how well a child reads and reading performance. Bag check (parental involvement) related to higher reading scores The two behaviours reinforced each other. Inflated vs. deflated views.

Parental Influences on Reading Scores Parents who attended four or more sessions significantly more likely to check bag or read to child daily

Parental Influences on Reading Scores Workshop attendance and reading to a child also significant in wave 1. Preaching to the converted…

Parental Influences on Reading Scores Parents from resource-poor homes have different views about their roles. Impact of parental involvement on reading scores. Attendance: Employment (negative), responsibility about a child’s reading, reading to child (already significant before). Challenge is how to get better attendance rates among parents who are ‘unconverted’.

Rethinking Family Influences Stage Setting 1. High-Low Outcome: Average Achievers 2. High-High Outcome: Solid High Achievers 3. Low-Low Outcome: Low Achievers 4. Low-High Outcome: Mediocre or Average Achievers High Quality or conducive to learning environment Most learners in the public education system… The ‘converted’ few… Moderate Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well but have the ‘resources’ to create a good environment and overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well and have the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parent’s cant’ convey the importance of education well and lack the ‘resources’ to create a good environment that would overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Parents communicate the importance of education well but lack the resources to create a ‘good’ environment overcome any negative and counterproductive environments. Children’s location within this framework strongly determines their achievement independent of their parents’ level of direct involvement. This framework also helpful for understanding why achievement varies between students who appear to be similar in many ways, such as the school they attend, the communities the live and the families from which they come. Low Quality (internalisation) of the message about the importance of schooling Source Harris and Robinson, 2017

Looking Ahead What data to collect about families Measuring the intangibles Implications for policy and practice

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