Views of Parents on Supporting Language and Literacy for Their Children With Complex Communication Needs

Abstract

Purpose: Understanding students' home literacy environments can help speech-language pathologists, teachers, and other educators partner with families to promote language and literacy learning. This study focused on gaining insight into the views of parents of elementary-age students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who had complex communication needs related to supporting children's language and literacy learning in the home. Method: This qualitative study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many schools were utilizing remote or hybrid learning arrangements. Participants were 37 parents of students with complex communication needs in kindergarten to fourth grade. Most children had either autism or Down syndrome, and they ranged from primarily communicating prelinguistically (e.g., gestures and nonword vocalizations) to using some two to three word phrases in different modes (e.g., speech, sign, and aided augmentative and alternative communication [AAC]). Each parent was interviewed three times over the 2020–2021 school year, and data were analyzed using an inductive qualitative approach. Results: Findings showed patterns of commonalities and differences in parents' experiences, including related to their (a) goals and values about communication, language, and literacy; (b) perceptions and experiences with roles supporting language and literacy; and (c) satisfaction with supports and progress in these areas. Conclusion: This study provides important insight into the views of parents related to home literacy that can be used to improve the design and delivery of interventions for school-age students with complex communication needs and their families.

Association between parenting styles and dyslexia in primary school students: the mediating role of home literacy environment

“…Further to our conclusions, we propose that the complicated interaction observed between parenting styles, HLE, and dyslexia reveals patterns and influences that likely extend to a broader educational context. Given the universal importance of a supportive and enriching home literacy environment, these findings prompt a reconsideration of how we approach educational support for all students, particularly those facing any form of learning challenges ( Leroux et al, 2024 ). The critical role of parenting and the home environment, as demonstrated in our study, suggests that similar mechanisms may influence educational outcomes across various learning difficulties, not limited to dyslexia ( Şahin et al, 2020 ).…”