Teacher-Initiated Communication with Parents: Preferred Types and Channels to Facilitate School-Home Relations and Enhance Student Performance and Motivation
Date
2018-04-11
Authors
El Cid, Pascal
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Parent-teacher communication involves teachers relating student academic- and school- information to students and parents through various means, including in-person dialogue, emails, and report cards. The literature on home-school communication and its impact on teachers, parents, and students is associated positively with more engaged and motivated learners, which may be valuable knowledge for both teachers and parents alike. While this is an important construct in terms of school and home dynamics, there is debate about the best platform teachers should use to implement open lines of communication, as well as the particular messages that are most appropriate for teachers to convey to parents and students. This review explores what kinds of information teachers should be communicating with parents in order to have a positive impact both in the classroom as well as in home and school relationships. Studies involving teacher-parent communication in both primary and secondary schools were examined. This investigation was hindered by the limited research on the impact of teacher communication, the changes to how teachers and parents prefer to communicate given time restrictions and cultural preferences, as well as different interpretations of what is being communicated, especially through grades and report cards. The research (a) reviews some of the empirical research literature on parent-teacher communication and (b) discusses the impacts this had on school-home relationships, student performance, and student motivation. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to better understand how teacher-initiated communication can be utilized as a tool to promote student learning and enhance home-school relationships.
Description
Keywords
communication, report cards, parent involvement, teacher-initiated communication