Home-school communication with Indian parents in New Zealand primary schools

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTIONS: 1. What are the expectations and experiences of Indian parents regarding home school communication practices in New Zealand?

2. What do parents believe about the ways in which the schools are meeting these expectations?

3. What are the possible strategies to enhance the current practice?

This research explores the experiences and expectations of Indian immigrant parents in New Zealand regarding home-school communication practices. The aim of the research was to examine the current home-school communication practices and propose ways to improve them by investigating the possible alternatives to resolve the dissatisfaction from the perspective of an Indian immigrant parent. The data collection for this research was undertaken in two stages. In the first stage, an online questionnaire was administered on three social media groups on Facebook comprising of potential participants. In the second stage, a focus-group interview was conducted with four members chosen on the basis of convenience sampling from the respondents of the online questionnaire. What became evident from the findings of both the online questionnaire and focus group interview was that Indian immigrant parents want regular and specific information on the academic learning of the child, rather than general feedback on overall progress and wellbeing. Findings from both the online questionnaire and the focus-group interview revealed that these parents want to be actively involved in their children’s education and lack of awareness of the teaching strategies used and curriculum taught in the class restricts their participation The implications of the findings point to the potential of using homework for improved home-school communication embedded in teacher’s everyday activity. It also highlights the importance of the content of communication, centred around homework, for these parents. This study through its findings recommends using written communication as a means of continuous, on-going communication between the school and parents, and highlights the importance of giving regular homework for increased parental involvement.