A study published in Learning and Instruction explored how parents’ beliefs about learning strategies affect their children’s study habits.
The research found that when parents believed certain learning strategies were effective, their children were more likely to use those strategies as well. This connection was observed even when considering the children’s strategy use at the start of the study — it showed that parental influence lasted over time.
In addition to parental influence, the study found that children were more likely to adopt strategies their parents favored if they also believed those strategies would be effective. Moreover, children’s personal beliefs can influence how much they apply what they learn from their parents.
The study shows how important it is to consider both family relationships and children’s own views when finding ways to help them do better in school. Helping families agree on good learning methods could make a big difference in improving students’ success.
Understanding the Research
Researchers carried out a study to understand how parents’ and teenagers’ beliefs about learning affect their schoolwork, especially in math. They asked 200 parent-child pairs from different parts of Japan to take part.
The teenagers were between 13 and 15 years old. Surveys were given out at two different times, one year apart, to see how things changed over time. The researchers also made sure the answers were private by asking parents and children to fill out the surveys separately.
Parents rated the effectiveness of each strategy, while teens evaluated both their usefulness and frequency of use. To provide deeper insights, the researchers also measured factors like parenting behaviors, cognitive ability, socio-economic status, study time, and social desirability.
Here is a summary of the findings:
- Parents and children liked similar learning strategies. They both preferred methods that involved practicing math problems and looking at mistakes, which focus on how to solve math problems.
- Parents’ beliefs about the effectiveness of various learning strategies predicted how much their children would use those strategies later on. When parents believe certain strategies work well, their children are more likely to adopt them.
- If children are convinced that a strategy works, they are more motivated to apply it in their learning, which can lead to better outcomes.
- Socio-economic status and social desirability (how much individuals want to appear socially acceptable or ideal) did not have a huge impact on the relationship between parents’ beliefs and children's strategy use.
Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers
Based on the findings of the study, here are a few tips that can help parents and caregivers support their children’s learning:
Provide positive feedback
Remember to praise your child when they use a good learning strategy, like breaking down a tricky math problem or reviewing mistakes, so that they are more likely to do it again. Positive feedback helps them see that these strategies are working to their advantage. It also makes them feel supported.
Here’s a related PDF resource on accepting feedback.
Help them focus on the effort they put into learning
It’s important to focus on the effort your child puts into learning, not just the results or how smart they are. This helps them learn that they can improve with effort, which is the heart of a growth mindset. Instead of thinking, “I’m smart,” they’ll start to think, “I can get better by trying harder.”
Here’s an article about a growth mindset versus fixed mindset and a PDF resource with growth mindset tips!
Regularly check-in on how they’re approaching schoolwork
This doesn’t just mean asking, “Did you finish your homework?” Instead, ask questions that help them reflect on their process, such as, “What was the hardest part, and how did you work through it?”
Asking these kinds of questions helps your child think about how they are learning, not just what they’re learning. It also gives you a chance to help them build good study habits and stay motivated.
The researchers suggest that future studies should look more closely at how parents affect their children’s learning, which could help improve their school performance.
Ready to help your child build a growth mindset and improve their study habits? Check out Mental Health Center Kids’ Growth Mindset Posters for downloadable and printable resources that make learning fun and effective.
