FAMILY LITERACY PRACTICES AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AMONG MIDDLE BASIC SCHOOL PUPILS IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Family literacy practices constitute a foundational pillar of children’s academic development, yet their nature, prevalence, and impact in specific Nigerian contexts remain insufficiently documented. This study assessed family literacy practices among Middle Basic School pupils’ academic engagement in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, focusing on the level, types, and frequency of such practices and their perceived relationship with pupils’ academic engagement. Adopting a quantitative descriptive survey design and guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the study employed two sets of questionnaires administered to a multi-stage stratified sample of 190 pupils and 190 parents/guardians drawn from ten public and private primary schools, out of the estimated population of 12,450 pupils and 7,600 households or parental units. To establish the instrument's reliability, a test-retest method was conducted over a two-week interval with 30 pupils and 30 parents in Kwali Area Council, yielding a highly dependable Pearson correlation coefficient score of 0.82. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Findings revealed a high overall level of family literacy practice (cumulative mean = 2.90), with homework assistance (mean = 3.42) and discussion of school topics (mean = 3.15) as the most prevalent and frequently occurring activities. Library visits (mean = 1.85) and book purchases (mean = 2.41) were notably deficient. A significant positive correlation was established between the level of family literacy practice and pupils’ academic engagement (r = 0.68, p < 0.05). The study concludes that while parental engagement in home-based literacy is broadly high, it is predominantly academic-reactive rather than literacy-generative. Recommendations are advanced for parents, educators, and policymakers to broaden and deepen the quality of family literacy interactions in the FCT.