A Study on the Influence of Family Factors on Preschool Children’s English Learning in Dalian, China

Abstract

The present study assessed the English proficiency of preschool children aged 4-6 in Dalian, China. A quantitative study method complemented with a qualitative interview was adopted to examine the relationship between parental factors (parents’ SES, parents’ behavior and parents’ attitudes) and children’s English proficiency. The scores of PLS-4 prove that children’s English proficiency from urban regions are significantly higher than the children from suburban regions. Parental factors and English proficiency correlations indicate the parents’ SES, parents’ behaviors and parents’ attitudes are associated with children’s English proficiency. The higher the parents’ educational level and family income, the higher the children’s English proficiency is. However, the marital status has no significant relationship with children’s English proficiency. The parents’ beliefs in children’s abilities and expectations have no significant relationship with children’s English proficiency either, which is out of expectation. Keywords—English proficiency; Preschool Children; Parental Factors; Socioeconomic Status (SES)