Home literacy and numeracy environment in effective schools with social diversity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how parents in effective schools with social diversity enrich the home literacy and numeracy environment, the strategies teachers adopt to support them and the obstacles they face. The research was carried out at two effective but socio-economically and culturally disadvantaged schools in the Basque Autonomous Community through 53 semi-structured interviews with native parents (n = 24), migrant parents (n = 7) and teachers (n = 22). Data were analysed using qualitative descriptive content analysis. Parents reported creating a home environment that fosters their children´s literacy and numeracy, whereas teachers perceived that the home environment was not sufficiently enriched. The mechanisms teachers implement to enhance the home literacy and numeracy environment were identified at the school level, such as dynamics that promote library use and an agreed policy on homework, and at the classroom level, the transmission of information and recommendations. Some obstacles at the student level related to limited time and insufficient command of the language were also identified. It is concluded that the initiatives identified by all participants to support literacy and numeracy at home are mainly classroom-level suggestions for informal activities. Improving parent–teacher communication and implementing more intercultural school-level strategies would be a notable improvement. Understandinghow effective schools operate in contexts of socio-economic and cultural diversity can help improve this aspect in other schools, especially those that serve disadvantaged families.