Parental Engagement in Special Education and Student’s Learning Styles Toward A Tailored Intervention Program

Abstract

Education is a significant part of the development of children with special needs, as it equips them with the skills and knowledge to live their lives productively. One of the important factors that affect their academic success is parental engagement, which plays a big role in shaping their educational journey. This research explores the relationship between parental engagement and the learning styles of students in special education programs at Paaralan ng Pag-Ibig at Pag-asa. This research examines the extent of parental engagement in academic and non-academic aspects of their children’s education and inspects how different learning styles influence students' development. The study also focuses to find out whether there is a significant difference in parental engagement when assessed based on demographic factors such as educational attainment, family income, employment status, and marital status.

A quantitative research approach was conducted, using a descriptive-correlational research design to investigate patterns and relationships between parental engagement and students’ learning styles. Data collection was conducted through a structured survey questionnaire, which was given to parents of students enrolled in special education. The questionnaire was developed to measure the level of parental engagement across four aspects: academic support, non-academic support, personal initiative, and school involvement frequency. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha, securing internal consistency and validity in the responses.

The findings revealed that parents showed a high level of engagement, particularly in terms of academic support. Most parents communicated with teachers, helped their children with homework, and actively joined school-related activities. However, non-academic support, such as fostering emotional resilience and social skills, was found to be slightly lower, suggesting the need for additional parental training in these areas. Furthermore, the study found that students with special needs favored visual and kinesthetic learning styles, responding well to images, hands-on activities, charts and diagrams. Auditory learning was moderately effective, particularly in students whose parents were highly engaged in school activities; while reading and writing were the least favored learning styles.

A statistical analysis was conducted to find out whether parental engagement varied based on demographic factors. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in parental engagement when analyzed according to age, educational attainment, family income, or employment status. This suggests that regardless of their background, parents revealed a consistent level of commitment in contributing to their children’s education. Additionally, the study examined the relationship between parental engagement and students' learning styles. While no strong correlation was found across most learning styles, auditory learners demonstrated a slight positive association with higher parental engagement in school-related activities, suggesting that students who learn best through verbal instruction tend to benefit more from active parental participation.

Based on these results, the research highlights the need for schools to improve parental engagement by offering training sessions and online meetings to accommodate working parents. Teachers should also include more visual and kinesthetic learning strategies to better aid students with special needs. Furthermore, intervention programs should be developed to address the gap between school-based teaching methods and home-based parental support. Improving non-academic support through workshops focused on social integration and emotional resilience is also suggested.

In conclusion, parental engagement is a significant factor in the education of students with special needs, significantly improving their learning experiences and academic performance. The study focuses on the collaborative approach between teachers and parents to ensure that students are given tailored learning interventions that align with their individual needs. By combining parental support with specialized teaching strategies, schools can improve the educational outcomes of students with special needs, promoting a more inclusive and effective learning environment.