Parents’ Attention on Students’ English Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic Era in Muhammadiyah Elementary Schools in Yogyakarta

Abstract

Online learning in the Covid-19 pandemic era has been running for almost two years. Students are spending their time mostly at home, and parents have taken over more tasks as teachers for their children, including English learning. This study aims to investigate the kinds of parents’ attention on students' English online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic era and their influence on the students’ discipline during learning at home. A case study research design was employed. The respondents were the parents of fourth-grade students in SD Muhammadiyah Karangwaru, Yogyakarta. The data were collected through deep online interviews, online class observation, and field notes. Then, the data were analyzed by using the descriptive qualitative method that includes data collection, data display, data reduction, and conclusion (Miles, Huberman, Saldana, 2014). The results show that there were four kinds of attention given by parents to the students while having English online learning, namely: 1) giving full affection to students, 2) guiding and assisting students in learning, 3) giving rewards for motivation, and 4) fulfilling students’ learning facilities. Meanwhile, the attention created good discipline for the students, i.e., writing new English vocabularies, completing and submitting assignments, and sharing time to study and to play.