The Effects of Single Parenting on the Literacy Achievement of AfricanAfrican-American students

By Stephanie Bryant

Table of Contents
Introduction
Statement of the Problem 4 Review of the Literature 5 Statement of the Hypothesis 10

Methods
Instruments Experimental Design Procedure 11

11

References Appendices

13 18

Introduction
There is a vast increase in the number of single parent households. This change can be accredited to the many factors. Single parent households are especially prevalent in the African-American Africancommunity.

Statement of the Problem

Children from single parent households are faced with extra burdens that children from two-parent households do not have twoto face. In an effort to alleviate these stresses, adjustments need to be made.

Review of Related Literature

Single Parent Households Do Affect Student Achievement
Pros: Parents who are involved in their student s academic career help to increase the student s academic achievement
Epstein & Dauber (1991) ; Zellman & Waterman (1998); Hawes & Plourde (2000); Senechal & LeFevre (2002, March-April) ; Ricciuth (2004, MarchMarch/April) ; England, Luckner, Whaley, Egeland (2004); Amato (2005); Luckner, Driessen, Smit, Driessen, Smit, & Sleegers (2005, August); Jeynes (2005, Summer) ; Houtenville & Conway (2008).

Review of Literature cont d

Single Parent Households Do Not Affect Student Achievement
Cons: Single parent households do not play a role in student s academic achievement, but other factors such as student s motivational level play a role in student s academic achievement
Iverson, Brownlee, & Walberg (1981); Dominia (2005, July); Debell (2008); Sojourner & Kushner (1997).

Current Educational Strategies

There are some strategies being implemented in schools to help single parent households increase the academic achievement of their children. These include:
Training parents on how to conduct reading instruction at home (Faires, Nichols, & Ricklman, 2000). Faires, Ricklman,

Current Education Strategies cont d

Having teachers implement strategies such as
maintaining a positive relationship with parents. having active parents spread the word to other parents to alleviate the educational barrier that African-American Africanparents when dealing with their child s teacher (Neuman, Neuman,
Hagedorn, Celano, Hagedorn, Celano, & Daly, 1995 ; Trotman, 2001) . Trotman,

Having schools implement strategies that

exhibit themes of empowerment, outreach, and indigenous resources (Abdul-Adil & Farmer Jr. 2006) . Abdul-

Parental Involvement Theorists

Epstein
Six types of Parental Involvement

Walberg
Parents and Schools need to Cooperate

HooverHoover-Dempsey
Defined at-home and in-school involvement atin-

Statement of Hypothesis
HR1
Implementing the shared reading strategy with twenty-two African-American third-grade twentyAfricanthirdstudents from non-intact (single) parent nonhouseholds over a six week period will help students at P.S. X will increase their reading and writing achievement on the practice New York State English Language Arts Examination.

Method
Participants (N)
TwentyTwenty-five third students
TwentyTwenty-two African American Three Latino American Thirteen African American students from nonnon-intact households

Working Class Families Public School in Brooklyn, NY

Method cont d
Instrument (s)
Demographic Survey Literacy Surveys
Student and Parent

New York State English Language Arts practice Exams

Experimental Design Procedure

References
AbdulAbdul-Adil J. K., & Farmer Jr., A. D. (2006). Inner-city african-american parental (2006). Innerafricaninvolvement in elementary schools: Getting beyond urban legends of apathy. apathy. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ744414). Amato, P. (2005). The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. Retrieved on October 3, 2009 from wellgeneration. ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ795852). Battle, J. & Coates, D. L. (2004, Autumn). Father-only and mother only, single-parent Fathersinglefamily status of black girls and achievement in grade twelve and at two-years post high twoschool. school. The Journal of Negro Education, 73 (4), 392-407. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from 392http://www.jstor.org/stable/4129624. Baumann, J.E., & Thomas, D. (1997, October). If you can pass momma s tests then she knows you re getting your education : A case study of support for literacy learning within an african american family. The Reading Teacher, 51(2), 108-120. Teacher, 51(2), 108Retrieved September 25, 2009, from Education Full Text database. Berendt, Berendt, P. R., & Koski, B. (1999, March). No shortcuts to success. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from ERIC database. Koski, success. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ581571). Brandt, Ron. (1989). On parents and schools: A conversation with joyce epstein. epstein. Educational Leadership, 24-27. Retrieved November 6, 2009 from Education Full Text Database. 24Brody, G.H . & Flor, D. L. (1998, June). Maternal resources, parenting practices, and Flor, child competence n rural, single-parent african american families. Child Development, single69 (3), 803-816. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from 803http://www.jstor.org/stable/1132205.

References cont d
DeBell, DeBell, M. (2008). Children living without their fathers: Population estimates and indicators of educational well-being. Social Indicators Research, 87(3), 427-443. wellResearch, 87(3), 427Retrieved October 3, 2009 from Education Full Text database. Dominia, Dominia, T. (2005, July). Leveling the home advantage: Assessing the effectiveness of parental involvement in elementary schools. The Reading Teacher, 51(2), 108-120. Teacher, 51(2), 108Retrieved September 25, 2009, from Education Full Text database. Driessen, Driessen, G., Smit, F. & Sleegers, P. (2005, August). Parental involvement and Smit, Sleegers, educational achievement. Taylor &Francis, Ltd., 31 (4), 509-532. achievement. 509Retrieved September 25, 2009, fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/30032581. England, M. M., Luckner, A. E., Whaley, G. J. L. & Egeland, B. (2004). Children s achievement in early elementary Luckner, Egeland, school: Longitudinal effects of parental involvement, expectations, and quality of assistance. Retrieved September 17, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ685033). Epstein, J. L. & Dauber, S. L. (1991). School programs and teacher practices of parent involvement in inner-city innerelementary and middle students. Elementary School Journal, 91(3), 289- 305. Retrieved October 26,2009 from 91(3), 289Education Research Complete database. Faires, Faires, J., Nichols, W. D., & Ricklman, R. J. (2000). Effects of parental involvement in developing competent readers in Ricklman, first grade. Retrieved October 5, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ614440). Flowers, L. A. (2007). Recommendations for research to improve reading achievement in african american students. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(3), 424-428. Retrieved October 21, 2009 from Wilson Quarterly, 42(3), 424Full Text database.

References cont d
Gonzalez-DeHass, A.,Willems, Gonzalez-DeHass, A.,Willems, P. P., Holbein, M. F. D. (2005, June). Examining the relationship between parental involvement and student motivation. Retrieved motivation. September 17, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.EJ732429). Hawes,C. Hawes,C. A., & Plourde, L. A. (2000). Parental involvement and its influence on the Plourde, reading achievement of 6th grade students. Reading Improvement, 47-57. Retrieved September Improvement, 4725, 2009 from Education Full Text database. Houtnville, Houtnville, A. J., & Conway, K. S. (2008). Parental involvement, school resources and student achievement. achievement. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ792701). Jeynes, Jeynes, W. H. (2005, Summer). The effects of parental involvement on the academic achievement of africanafrican-american youth. The Journal of Negro Education, 74(3), 260-274. Retrieved September Education, 74(3), 26025, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40027432. Iverson, B. K., Brownlee, G. D., & Walberg, H.J. (1981). Parent-teacher contacts and student Parentlearning. Retrieved November 6, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27539847. Neuman, Neuman, S. B., Hagedorn, T., Celano, D., & Daly, P. (1995, Winter). Toward a collaborative approach Hagedorn, Celano, to parent involvement in early education: A study of teenage mothers in an african-american africancommunity. Retrieved October 26, 2009, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1163336.

References cont d
Ricciuth, Ricciuth, H. N. (2004, March/April). Single parenthood, achievement, and problem behavior in white, black, and hispanic children. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ698473). Senechal, Senechal, M., & LeFevre, J. (2002, March-April). Parental involvement in the development of children s reading skills: A LeFevre, Marchfive year longitudinal study. Blackwell Publishing, 73(2), 445-460. Retrieved September 21, 2009, from Publishing, 73(2), 445http://www.jstor.org/stable/3696368. Sojourner, J., & Kushner, S.N. (1997, March). Variables that impact the education of african american students: Parental involvement, religious socialization, socioeconomic status, self-concept, and gender. Retrieved November self9, 2009 from ERIC database (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED410326). Sun, Y., & Li, Y. (2007). Racial and ethnic differences in experiencing parents' marital disruption during late adolescence. adolescence. Retrieved October 3, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ698473). Trotman, Trotman, M.F. (2001, Autumn). Involving the african american parent: Recommendations to increase level of parent involvement in african American Families. The Journal of Negro Education, (70), 275-285. Retrieved September 27521.2009 from, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3211280. Walberg, H. J. (1984). Families as partners in educational productivity. The Phi Delta Kappan, 65(6), 397-400. Kappan, 65(6), 397Retrieved November 9, 2009 from, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20387056. Zellman, Zellman, G. L., Waterman, J. M. (1998). Understanding the impact of parent school involvement on children s educational outcomes. Retrieved October 3, 2009 from ERIC database. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service outcomes. No. EJ571135).

Appendix A
Consent form Dear Principal , My name is Stephanie Bryant and I am a graduate student in the Elementary Education department at Brooklyn College. I am currently completing my action research project on The Effects of Single Parent Households on Literacy Achievement. I am writing requesting permission to use a classroom of your students in the thirdthird-grade to test the effectiveness of my research project. With your permission, the students from single parent households will be read to utilizing the shared reading approach in addition to the Balanced Literacy program that occurs during the day. I believe that the additional reading that these children will be exposed to will help to increase their overall literacy skills. It is very important that you understand that under no circumstances will the name of your school as well as the children's names be released. All data and information will remain completely confidential. Thank you so much for considering my research project and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Stephanie Bryant

Appendix B Demographic Survey

Directions: Directions: Please select one of the numbers below that best answers the question and place your response on the space provided to the right.

Gender: (1) Male or (2)Female Age Range: (1) 8-10 yrs. (2) 11-13 yrs. 811(3)18-23yrs. (3)18(4) 24-30yrs. 24(5) 31-37 yrs. 31(6) 38-44yrs 38(7) 45+yrs. ____ Education Level: (1) Some High School (2) Finished High School ____ (3) Some College (4) Finished College (5) Graduate School (6) Post Graduate Parental Situation: (1) Intact Household ____ Racial Background: (1) Caucasian (3) African-American (4) Asian African(6) Mixed Heritage (2) Non-Intact Household Non-

____

(2) Hispanic (5) Other

____

Appendix C Parent Survey

Directions: Please select one of the numbers below that best answers the question and place your response on the space provided to the right.
1= Strongly Agree 2= Agree 3= Disagree 4 = Strongly Disagree ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

I help my child with his homework every night. I have a good relationship with my child s teacher. I am a currently a member of the Parent Teacher Association. I assist my child with his homework at least three nights a week. My child does well in school because of my help. I assist my child with school work only when asked. I am satisfied when my child does his best in school. I read to my child every night. I always attend school functions such as Open House at my child s school. I read with my child at least three nights a week.

______

Appendix D Student Survey

Directions: Please select one of the numbers below that best answers the question and place your response on the space provided to the right.
1= Strongly Agree Disagree 2= Agree 3= Disagree 4 = Strongly ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

I read every day. I read independently for 30 minutes everyday. I read independently an hour everyday. I write everyday. I write outside of school three times a week. I write outside of school 30 minutes everyday. I always understand what I am reading. I understand more than half of what I am reading. I enjoy writing. I always ask for help if I do not understand what I am reading.