| This study investigated the relationship between immigrant mothers in Taiwan and the early learning of their preschool children. The subjects comprised six immigrant mothers who came from mainland China and Southeast Asia and were living in Tainan City and Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Six early childhood teachers who were teaching the immigrant children whose mothers were selected to participate in this study and three local government officials were also interviewed. Analysis of this study was based on the phenomenological method and included bracketing, comparing, interpreting, and extrapolating meanings from the data and information that emerged from the experiences shared by participants. This study revealed that immigrant mothers have strong expectations for their children's success, but that language barrier, poor communication skills, and a lack of cooperation from their husbands' family members necessitate that their children be sent to school to be assimilated into Taiwanese culture. The study also looked at Taiwanese government policies on immigrant mothers and their children. The results of this study show that the Taiwanese government not only provides a series of courses for all immigrant mothers on adapting to Taiwanese society, but also utilizes a variety of methods to publicize and provide information about the courses to immigrant mothers and their families. The results also revealed that the early childhood teachers interviewed tried to demonstrate how to assist young children's learning at home to immigrant mothers because most immigrant mothers did not know how to guide their children to do homework. The findings of this study suggest that all of Taiwanese society -- including the government, schools, professional experts, scholars, and communities -- may want to assist immigrant mothers to educate and raise their children during their early learning so that those children can become productive Taiwanese citizens in the future. |
