Bridging the Gap in Reading Skills: The Role of Home Literacy Environment and Parental Expectations in Chinese Rural-to- Urban Migrant Children

Background Research on the Home Literacy Environment (HLE) in China has predominantly centreed on disparities between urban residents (UR) and rural-to-urban migrants (RUM), yielding substantial insights while leaving critical gaps unaddressed. Although existing literature has identified socioeconomic status (SES) as a key determinant of HLE disparities, it has frequently overlooked pivotal factors such as the duration of urban residency and parental expectations (PE) regarding children’s reading proficiency. These variables are integral to developing a holistic understanding of HLE dynamics within RUM families. Furthermore, while the adverse effects of such disparities on low-level reading skills (LLRS) among migrant children are well-established, potential variations in high-level reading skills (HLRS) remain underexamined. Reading constitutes a multifaceted cognitive process involving textual meaning construction. Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as the he triangle model and the dual-route model, LLRS, encompassing vocabulary, morphological awareness, and phonological awareness, serve as foundational competencies for basic text decoding. In contrast, HLRS, including comprehension monitoring, comprehension control, and reading comprehension, integrate and build upon these foundational skills. This research gap assumes heightened significance during the transition from home-based to school-based literacy environments in early elementary education, a pivotal developmental phase characterised by substantial contextual shifts in literacy acquisition. Last but not least, while the influence of HLE on LLRS is widely recognised, its nuanced impact on HLRS, particularly throughout these transitional periods, remains insufficiently delineated. Equally underexplored is the role of PE in shaping these developmental trajectories. This oversight underscores the necessity for a more comprehensive inquiry into how migration status, in conjunction with HLE and PE, differentially influences the development of both LLRS and HLRS. Purpose Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Family Investment Theory, this thesis seeks to systematically examine disparities in HLE between RUM and UR families, with a particular focus on how migration status, PE, and HLE collectively contribute to differential development in both HLRS and LLRS. The research comprises three interrelated empirical studies: Study 1 conducts a comparative analysis of HLE disparities between RUM and UR families, while assessing the extent to which duration of urban residency, SES, and PE shape the HLE of RUM households. Study 2 investigates discrepancies in HLRS between RUM and UR children, with a specific emphasis on the mediating roles of HLE and PE in explaining these differences. Study 3 expands the scope by incorporating both LLRS and HLRS, analyzing how migrant status indirectly influences HLRS through the mediating mechanisms of LLRS, HLE, and PE. By adopting a multi-study framework, this thesis aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the interplay between structural factors (e.g., migration status, SES), family-level influences (HLE, PE), and children’s reading development across differentiate skill levels. Methods The first study adopted a mixed-methods research design, utilizing a randomly selected sample comprising 148 UR and 137 RUM children along with their respective parents. The second study expanded the investigation with a larger participant pool of 311 children (163 RUM and 148 UR), employing independent samples t-tests and structural equation modeling to analyse group differences in HLRS while examining the potential mediating effects of PE and HLE. Building upon the same cohort, the third study similarly applied independent samples t-tests and SEM, but extended the analytical framework to incorporate both LLRS and HLRS, with particular emphasis on evaluating the mediating roles of LLRS, PE, and HLE in the association between migrant status and HLRS development. Results Study 1 revealed that, after controlling for SES, RUM children demonstrated significantly less favorable HLE compared to their UR counterparts, irrespective of duration of urban residence. However, longitudinal urban residency was positively associated with enhanced parent-directed literacy activities among RUM families. PE emerged as a robust predictor of literacy engagement, serving as a partial compensatory mechanism for the detrimental effects of low SES. Study 2 findings indicated that migrant status exerted a significant negative influence on both PE and HLE. Notably, when accounting for the combined effects of PE and HLE, the direct association between migrant status and children's HLRS was rendered statistically non-significant. This pattern suggests that migrant status primarily affects HLRS indirectly through its impact on PE, which subsequently influences HLE. A noteworthy dual pathway emerged: while the direct effect of PE on HLRS was negative, the mediated pathway through HLE demonstrated a positive association. This finding highlights that elevated PE, when not accompanied by commensurate HLE enrichment, may paradoxically hinder HLRS development. Study 3 results established that UR children consistently outperformed RUM children across multiple literacy domains, including reading comprehension, comprehension monitoring, phonological awareness, and morphological awareness. The analysis revealed an adaptive process wherein migrant parents gradually modify their educational expectations in response to evolving socioeconomic circumstances, subsequently adjusting their family's literacy resources and engagement patterns. These adaptations significantly influence children's LLRS, which serve as critical precursors for HLRS development. More precisely, the results delineate a sequential mediation pathway: migrant status affects HLE through PE, which in turn impacts LLRS, ultimately influencing HLRS outcomes. Conclusion and Implication This thesis presents several key findings. Firstly, even after accounting for SES, RUM families display significantly lower levels of parent-directed activities compared to UR families，due to their limited local social networks. However, with increased duration of residence, RUM families may gradually access better educational resources, showing improvements in literacy activities. PE, rather than SES, emerged as a significant predictor of home literacy activities, indicating that high PE can partially offset the negative effects of low SES on the HLE. Secondly, RUM children significantly trail behind their UR peers in both LLRS and HLRS. Initial analyses suggested a direct effect of migrant status on HLRS; however, this effect diminishes when considering indirect pathways through PE, and HLE. Thirdly, compared to direct socioeconomic factors, intermediary mechanisms such as the HLE and PE have a greater impact on children's reading abilities. LLRS, PE, and the HLE play a crucial mediating role between migrant status and HLRS. Migrant status indirectly affects LLRS through PE's impact on HLE, which subsequently influences HLRS. Notably, while the initial impact of PE on children’s reading abilities might be negative, it can turn positive through the influence of HLE. This sequence demonstrates how various factors collectively shape children's reading outcomes. This thesis provides valuable theoretical and practical insights into the factors influencing the reading development of migrant children. By identifying critical mediating factors such as PE and HLE, it enhances understanding of how to effectively support the literacy development of migrant children. Firstly, educational policies should focus on allocating resources that enrich literacy environments within migrant communities, such as access to libraries and digital resources. Secondly, there is a need for parental education programmes that inform migrant parents about the impact of their expectations and guide them in supporting their children's literacy in feasible ways. Additionally, establishing community support structures that offer educational support and resources can bridge the gap between home and school literacy practices. Lastly, developing school curricula that acknowledge and incorporate migrant children's cultural and linguistic backgrounds can improve their engagement and comprehension. These findings have significant implications for educational interventions and policies aimed at reducing the literacy gap between migrant and urban-resident children, both within China and potentially in other similar global contexts.