Martine van der Pluijm

132 Chapter 5 TABLE 5.1: Demographic information of parent sample at pretest and posttest ( n =71) Total sample Total % Total 71 100 Gender Male Female 8 63 11.2 88.7 Migration background 60 84.5 Home language Dutch No Dutch Dutch and other language 6 9 56 8.4 12.6 78.8 Parental education level Very low: Primary school at most Low: Secondary education (aged 12 to 15) Middle: Secondary education (aged 16 to18) High: Senior secondary vocational education/university 19 16 28 8 26.7 22.5 39.4 11.2 Teachers informed parents about the aims of the research and the activities and requested their consent. This was done in writing, with teachers giving the letter to parents personally and ascertaining that parents agreed to participate in this research. All parents consented. At the start of the school year in September, we started the selection of parents for interviews, using a blind selection procedure. At each of the seven participating schools, for each of the fourteen groups, we randomly selected seven parents (98 in total). During the first round, we interviewed 89 parents (95%). During the second round, the same 89 were approached. We finally interviewed 71 parents at the pretest and posttest (80% of the initial sample). Table 5.1 shows background information about the parent sample that participated in both pretest and posttest interviews. The 19 parents who declined to collaborate in the second round reported they were unable to participate due to personal circumstances (e.g., childbirth, illness, or work). Program Program implementation followed three phases that integrate the seven program steps. In the first phase, teachers establish SFPs in support of child language development [i.e., Step 1: Assess the HLE, Step 2: Involve parents in SFP procedures in support of child language development, and Step 3: Build reciprocal relationships]. Teachers and parents expand their knowledge about the context of children’s language development, acknowledging the complementary roles of the home and the school. Parents are invited to school procedures (e.g., introductory conferences), are engaged by informal contact with the teacher, and stimulated to be actively involved in