Exploring Lessons in Research: a Survey on Parental Perceptions of Reading Opportunities

<p>Problem</p> <p>This exploratory study examines how parents’ past reading experiences relate to their perceptions of their children’s current reading opportunities across home and school contexts. Grounded in longstanding literacy research, the study explores how parent‑led, educator‑led, and child‑initiated reading experiences collectively shape children’s literacy development.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Two research questions guided the inquiry: (1) How do parents perceive their own past reading opportunities? and (2) How do they perceive their children’s reading opportunities at home and in school? To address these questions, a 41‑item survey was developed and administered to parents of children enrolled in K–8 schools. The instrument measured two constructs, Parent Opportunity (PO) and Child Opportunity (CO), reflecting reading experiences with parents, teachers, and through independent engagement. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to examine the instrument’s structure and identify emerging patterns in parental perceptions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although this data did not aim to confirm a stable factor structure, the analysis revealed meaningful insights into how parents conceptualize reading opportunities and highlighted items requiring refinement.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings validate the relevance of the PO and CO constructs and provide direction for future instrument development. This work lays the foundation for continued research and has implications for strengthening literacy practices through collaborative efforts between families and schools.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction PhD

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• Kettlehut, Laura

Contributors dc:contributor

• Luana Greulich
• Michael Gayle
• Tammy Overstreet

• Reading
• Literacy
• Parents
• Children
• Teachers
• Early Childhood
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Elementary Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1863

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.andrews.edu:dissertations-3134