Bridging the Rural-Urban Literacy Gap in China: A Mediation Analysis of Family Effects

ABSTRACT

This study examines the effects of family involvement on the literacy gap between rural and urban Chinese primary students via mediation analysis. Altogether, 1080 students in Grades 1, 3, and 5 were randomly sampled from three urban and three rural primary schools from Shandong and Guizhou Provinces, representing eastern and western China, respectively. The Primary Chinese Reading Literacy Scale was administered to all participants in group sessions. Parents were surveyed on parental educational levels, home literacy environment, and parental involvement in home literacy activities. The findings show that the urban students significantly surpass their rural counterparts in Chinese literacy attainment, parental education levels, and home literacy environment and activities. The structural equation model indicates that the rural-urban literacy gap is mediated by parental education level and family literacy environment (resources, informal and formal literacy). Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and possible directions for future educational studies are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Education in China
• family effects
• mediation analysis
• rural-urban literacy gap

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (HKU 750513H).

Notes

1. For items of parent storytelling, parent teaching of reading and writing, the child’s earliest experience of regular literacy activities in home was selected, either given by parents or guardian.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (HKU 750513H).