Teacher-parent Collaboration for Young EFL Learners: A Thai Teacher’s Experiences

Abstract

This case study explored how an English teacher in Thailand engaged parents in supporting their young children's English language learning during remote teaching in 2021-2022. The teacher's strategies for establishing teacher-parent collaboration reflected the importance of acknowledging parents' input, empowering their participation in their children's learning, and addressing challenges to collaboration. Data were collected through an online semi-structured interview and analyzed thematically with member checking. The analysis focused on the teacher's efforts to address parents' concerns and ensure their involvement in supporting their children's English learning. The study found that the teacher employed various strategies to engage and empower parents with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, English abilities, and confidence levels. These strategies included providing video clips of teaching for parents to learn from or play for their children, equipping parents to be English teachers at home, and sharing examples of students being supported by their parents. This case study underscores the significant role an EFL teacher can play in engaging parents to support their children's English learning at home, even when parents have limited English proficiency.