Action Research on EFL Parent-Child Co-Learning Through Children's Picture Storybooks

• Main Authors: Yu-xi Chen, 陳鈺璽
• Other Authors: Shih-mei Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/23485047314829320784

碩士 === 國立臺中教育大學 === 語文教育學系碩士班 === 94 === The purpose of the study is to investigate the process of, parents’ and children’s attitudes toward, and suggestions for EFL parent-child co-learning through children’s picture storybooks. Action research with qualitative approach was the methodology of the study. Subjects were eight parent-child in pairs, twenty members in total screened by an elementary school in Taichung City. Six picture storybooks were selected for the twelve-week co-learning program. Lesson plans, students’ activity records, field notes, surveys, interviews, and video transcripts were the source of data collection and analysis. Based on data analysis, the results of the study were presented as follows: (1) Both parents and children attended the program actively. While children enjoyed the activities, parents gave guidance and assistance to them for their participation. It was also observed that parents shifted the roles while learning with their children during class. (2) Both parents and children favored the stories in the program. They agreed that they might not pick up English from the books that quickly in a short time, but they liked the interactions with each other from reading the stories. (3) Both parents and children suggested more speaking practice for the program. The parents expected a faster learning pace for children, while children hoped for more teaching hours with simpler English used in class. Conclusions and recommendations below are provided for teachers, parents, educational authorities, and future studies: (1) Teachers are suggested to employ a variety of activities for a multi-leveled class and to communicate with parents on expectations of the co-learning. (2) While parents are recommended to create a co-learning environment for children, they should also give more time and patience for children’s learning pace. (3) Educational authorities are suggested to promote more accesses for co-learning as well as to enrich reading materials for family literacy. (4) For future studies, more attention can be drawn on empirical research about more pairs of co-learning, comparison between co-learning in the city and that in the country, and parents’ and children’s learning progress through the program.