Abstract

     This study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the impact of parent–child communication on English academic engagement. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 21,270 middle school students using various measurements: English Academic Engagement Scale, Adolescent Parent–Child Communication Scale, learning adaptability questionnaire, and English Learning Self-Efficacy Scale. The results showed that learning adaptability played a mediating role between parent–child communication and English academic engagement. Moreover, the relationships between parent–child communication and English academic engagement as well as between parent–child communication and learning adaptability were all moderated by English learning self-efficacy. These findings revealed the importance of parent–child communication in middle school students’ foreign language learning and suggested that more attention should be paid to improving middle school students’ English learning self-efficacy and learning adaptability and, therefore, English academic engagement.

Introduction

     Because the complexity of their kids’ school work has increased sharply since they entered middle school, most parents find it challenging to provide academic support for their children, especially in the foreign language, which is a compulsory course with English as course content. However, China is now promoting the educational ideas of home-school co-education. Since the promulgation of The Family Education Promotion Law of the People’s Republic of China, the government has encouraged parents to participate in their children’s education and help them grow (China, 2021). So, given that parents’ educational level, educational resources, and family economic status are all predetermined, what other methods can parents use to promote their children’s performance in learning, especially foreign language learning? This is an issue worth paying attention to.

     Studies have found that parent–child communication, as the core mechanism for parents to influence children in family factors, promotes students to develop positively and healthily (Liu et al., 2012) and affects students’ psychological state and behavioral engagement in learning activities (Zhou & Zhang, 2018). Thus, parent–child communication can be an effective way for parents to promote their children’s foreign language learning. To this end, this study will explore the relationship between parent–child communication and English academic engagement and the mechanism underlying it, with middle school students.

Results

Preliminary analyses

     As shown in Table 2, Pearson’s analysis showed that parent–child communication, learning adaptability, English learning self-efficacy, and English academic engagement were significantly positively correlated. In terms of demographic variables, grades, only child, family residence, monthly family income, and parent–child communication, learning adaptability, English learning self-efficacy, English academic engagement were significantly correlated. Therefore, demographic variables would be analyzed as control variables.