Parental school choice and involvement in bilingual early childhood education

Abstract

The present paper explores parental involvement from the parents’ perspective concerning a specific area – bilingual early childhood education. It aims to uncover the level, extent, and quality of involvement in children’s education of those parents who choose bilingual early years programs for their children. Data is collected via questionnaires and interviews. The research results on parental school choice are reflected in the Hungarian sample, but new aspects are also emerging. Results show that the (upper-)middle-class parents in the sample, who choose the bilingual program for an additional fee, have a solid positive sense of efficacy in their parental role. Their school choice reflects their parental views looking for a municipality-run institution of set boundaries with innovative pedagogical methods and inclusive attitude. Out of the four motives of parental involvement defined by Kernan (2012), three are mentioned in the interviews: the harmonization of pedagogical values, the practical help of parents supporting the organization, and the enablement by building mutual relationships between parents and practitioners. The democratic motif does not appear in the data, meaning shared decision-making practices are not present in the institutions.