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I chose this article to aid in engaging parents of ELL students. There might be things stopping ELL parents from attending a conference, so this can help change that.

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Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences with Bilingual Families

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“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”— ConfuciusTips for ParentsShare these bilingual tip sheets on Parent-Teacher Conferences with the families of your ELLs!Your family has been selected for a new reality show called “Education Around the World.” You and your children are relocated within a week to a country very different from the United States — let’s say China. To win the grand prize on the reality show, you must help your children succeed in the Chinese public school system. Before you leave the U.S., you barely learn survival Chinese and you’ve gotten the basic assistance to get your children registered in the Chinese school system. You don’t know anything, however, about the Chinese educational system, and you are not sure what the expectations are for students or their parents, or how you will communicate with the teacher since he/she speaks very little English.Once you have arrived and the school year begins, you are not able to understand the information that is sent home; your children are struggling to learn math, social studies, and science in Chinese with one hour of English support each day; and you don’t know how you should communicate with the teacher or if the school has parent-teacher conferences. If the school does hold conferences, how does it work? Do you sign up for a time? Do you go there and wait for your turn? Do the teachers come visit the house? Or are parent-teacher conferences only held when there is a problem? And perhaps the most important question of all: if you want an English translator, how do you request one?This example demonstrates what some of our ELL families might experience as they attempt to understand the U.S. educational system and such practices as parent-teacher conferences. The challenges of this situation could also be compounded if parents do not have very much education themselves and feel uncomfortable in an educational environment.In addition, parents may come from a culture where it is either insulting to a teacher to ask for student progress information. Alternatively, the expectation may be that the children have been sent to the teacher to learn and if the teacher is asking for a parent’s help, then there must be something wrong with the teacher. You can see how many bridges must be crossed in order to offer the kind of outreach and support parents may need to fully benefit from parent-teacher conferences.Before the conferenceThinking outside the boxYou may wish to try different formats, schedules, or locations to maximize parent attendance. Take a look at these tips and creative ideas in our ELL family engagement guide.Encourage parent attendanceTo prepare for a successful conference night, see the Bright Ideas article on encouraging bilingual family involvement, which includes ideas on bilingual invitations, childcare, and other steps you can take to encourage parent attendance.Make personal contactAfter sending the conference invitations home, call the parents or greet the families at school and ask them if they will be able to meet with you.Make an appointment with the parentsTake a tip from sales people: give parents an appointment time. When you offer the appointment time, ask the parent if they will be able to come at that time or to suggest a time that is more convenient for them. Then describe the parent-teacher conference and what they should expect.Give parents a reminder callAnother tip from sales people: The day before the conference, make a reminder call. Be aware that families may have children in other grades or in other schools, and do your best to coordinate with all staff involved on the appointment times for the family. If possible, be flexible if a family can’t make the appointment on conference day, and arrange to meet the family on another day after school.Arrange for an interpreterIt is very important that students are not the interpreters. Students may not feel comfortable interpreting for their parents. They may not know the appropriate vocabulary to interpret the educational information. And they may not necessarily be forthcoming if they do not like the information being presented. (Some teachers have reported that a few of their Spanish-speaking students told their parents that ‘F’ stood for “Fantástico”.)Enlist help to find an interpreter if necessaryIf you do not have an official interpreter available at your school, talk to your principal and/or school district about the need to get one. If in-person interpreters are not available (and you may not be able to get one for a low-incidence language such as Urdu or Farsi), there are companies that provide interpreters over the phone so that you could set up a phone conference with your student’s parents. If another bilingual parent offers to serve as an interpreter, make sure that the conference parent is comfortable with this. Also make sure that this does not violate privacy policies in your school district.Consider training parents to become interpretersIf interpreters are not readily available at your school, consider offering an “interpreters’ training” for bilingual parents, and enlist the support of those parents who have become familiar with the school and educational environment. Offer the training they need so that they feel comfortable and confident with their skills in a new role as an interpreter for other parents. Again, make sure that this does not violate privacy policies in your school district.Create an interpreters’ schedule with other teachersBe aware that interpreters may have many classrooms to assist. If possible, collaborate with other teachers to establish an “interpreters’ schedule.“Train interpreters and staffBefore conference night, have a training session for interpreters and staff in order to make the process successful and ensure that all people involved have the skills and understanding necessary to support the families.Meet with the interpreterMeet with the interpreter before the conference to go over the meeting schedule and agenda, and to address any questions or concerns. Be sure to define the kind of information that will be shared and to reinforce the fact that the interpreter is translating the information, not offering advice or opinions.Review educational terms and vocabulary with the interpreterMake sure that the interpreter feels comfortable interpreting certain vocabulary words that may not exist in their own language such as “special education,” “state standards,” or “curriculum.“Allow more time for translationsConferences that include an interpreter will take more time while you, the interpreter, and the parents exchange information.Be aware of cultural differencesIf possible, get some background information about your students’ cultures and educational expectations that their parents may have. The following true anecdote illustrates the importance of this: a kindergarten teacher held a conference with parents who were from an African country. The kindergarten teacher was very concerned about their child’s excessive talking, activity, and inability to pay attention or play quietly with the other children. The parents beamed at the teacher and described how happy they were that their child was displaying such inquisitive and active intelligent behavior. They had a very different perspective on the behaviors of a successful learner.During the conferenceSpeak with the parents, not the interpreterDuring the conference, always make eye contact with and talk directly to the parent (as opposed to speaking with the interpreter).Speak evenly and pause frequentlySpeak at a measured pace (not slowly or more loudly), and pause often so the interpreter can translate a manageable amount of information.Use simple documents in your explanationsUse documents for visual support, but keep them simple. For example, don’t offer a full-page single-spaced description of the curriculum. Offer an example of the student’s work and a bullet list or rubric to show how it is evaluated, or a simple calendar with curriculum projects filled in.Discuss educational plans and the parents’ expectationsSome schools develop educational plans with the parents, and this may be a new concept for ELL parents. Simplify the process by asking the parent, “What do you hope your child will learn this year?” or “What do you want your child to get better at?“Offer translated information if possibleMany schools now offer basic student progress forms in two languages — English on one side and a second language on the other. Teachers fill in the appropriate information for each student and then give the parents the form, showing them the translated explanation of the form on the back. Some forms include classroom schedules and an area for grades and test scores, while others use very basic symbols such as smiley faces. While the teacher’s remarks themselves may not be translated, the parents will have an explanation in their language of how their child is being evaluated, and will be able to get a good sense of their child’s progress from the form. If your school offers such forms, they can be a highly useful tool in communicating with parents.Offer information about local support resourcesParents may not know about resources such as the public library’s homework-help program or a tutoring support program offered in the school or community.Encourage reading at homeEmphasize the importance of reading at home in the student’s native language and/or English. The important thing is to encourage the joy of reading and to continue to support the development of both languages.Leave time for parent questionsUnderscore the importance of ongoing communication between the home and the school. Provide the parents with ways that they can contact you and communicate their questions and concerns with the necessary bilingual support. And of course — don’t forget to thank them for coming!After the conferenceSend a thank you noteOne of the most important things about a parent-teacher conference is the development of a partnership between the teacher and the parents. Once the conference has been completed, you can send a note home to the parents and tell them how much you enjoyed meeting them and talking about their child, or you can make a call to the family within a few weeks of the conference to inform them about the positive progress you have noticed in their child.Hot linksParents + Schools = Successful Children: Practioner GuideThe Parents + Schools = Successful Children series is a project developed by the National Center for Family Literacy. The project includes bilingual materials to promote the importance of parent involvement and literacy support at home. This Practitioners’ Guide offers numerous ideas and resources for reaching out to parents.LA Unified School District: Translation ResourcesThe English/Spanish Glossary of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Terminology was developed as a tool for translating and interpreting the most commonly used wordsNPR: Language Gap Mars Parent-Teacher Chats Weekend Edition Sunday, April 8, 2007.by Elizabeth Wynne JohnsonFederal law requires school districts to provideinterpreters for parent-teacher conferences. But demand far outstrips the state and federal funds provided. How are schools adapting? (audio file from NPR website)Scholastic: Reaching Out to Bilingual FamiliesA list of seven tips for involving bilingual families at school. (Please note that the recommendation to enlist other bilingual children as translators refers to guiding new students at school and assisting with translating at programs, not at parent-teacher conferences.)Harvard Family Research Project: Bilingual Voices and Parent Classroom ChoicesA case study of a Latino mother and her difficulties in helping her daughter achieve success in the U.S. school system. Offers discussion questions for staff to reflect on ways they might better assist immigrant families.Massachusetts General Hospital: Medical Interpreter ServicesRecommendations of how to help interpreters ensure more effective outcomes. The list focuses on meeting the needs of medical patients, but can be applied to parents and the field of education.American Academy of Family Physicians: Medical InterpretingThis site offers guidelines for medical staff who may be enlisted to interpret for patients. The guidelines can be adapted for an educational setting, however, and are excellent recommendations for bilingual education staff who may be asked to serve as interpreters.

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This link leads to an article that gives teachers tips on how to make sure every parent is able to participate in their child's classroom. This will help ease parents into the classroom setting!

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English Language Learners

Schools can better support students who are still learning English by working to involve their families in their education.

Marmaduke St. John / Alamy Stock Photo

The most impactful plans for student growth engage not only the learner but also his or her family. In fact, research points to parents and caretakers as invaluable stakeholders in students' academic achievement. Unfortunately, parents who are new to English are often left out of family engagement at the school level to some degree. How can we do a better job of appealing to and including the parents of English language learners (ELLs) as valuable members of the school community?

Here are six keys to successfully engaging ELL parents and families.

1. Make It Reciprocal

Engagement is a partnership between the parents and the school to serve the best interests of students. The school is responsible for meeting certain expectations, some of which are legally mandated through the Every Student Succeeds Act, such as provisions for translation of vital school information into students' home languages.

Parents also have specific obligations, which aren't always clear, especially when there are cultural differences-we cannot assume that the American idea of doing school is shared by all families in our community. Teachers can help by explicitly communicating parents' key responsibilities, such as taking an active role in helping their child learn to organize his or her study time. Parents can also be encouraged to monitor engagement, limit distractions, build consistency, and celebrate periods of concentration.

Parents can also set aside a quiet place for their child to learn and read at home, and be available to answer questions. They should utilize school-based technological and translation resources, including bilingual dictionaries, home anchor charts, and web-based language translation applications, if needed. They should also take time to discuss school matters with their child, asking questions about the school day: friends, concepts learned, struggles and discomforts, successes and achievements.

2. Aim for Authenticity

Efforts to engage diverse parent groups must be authentic and meaningful. Begin with a deep dive of your school's unique demographics. What values, interests, and funds of knowledge are represented on campus? Is the school's interest in students' home lives perceived as genuine?

Support authenticity by intentionally fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where families see reflections of themselves. Work to engage firsthand resources to your school, including bilingual staff members. Champion relationship building through collaboration. Authenticity breeds connection.

3. Use a Culturally Responsive Approach

Where do families' deeply rooted cultural values show up in the school? How do parents' cultural perspectives drive expectations for parent engagement? Do we use these references to ignore, diminish, or empower our families as members of our school community?

To make the shift toward empowerment, be mindful of culturally relevant dates and holidays, and avoid scheduling important events on these days. Ensure that school-based activities, language, and school menus reflect cultural considerations. Be critical of trivial displays of culture. Openly communicate norms for parent engagement, and work to share this information in a variety of ways. Invite student and parent input, and make a point of reframing cultural or linguistic misconceptions as teachable moments.

4. Keep It Simple

Communication is essential to successful parent engagement efforts. We should aim for clarity in all of our exchanges with parents, especially those who are still new to English.

Explore your school's registration paperwork and parent communications from a fresh perspective. What can be streamlined, condensed, or eliminated? Be particularly mindful of acronyms, educational jargon, and terms that may be unfamiliar to parents, including ones related to mental health like trauma.

Look for ways to provide appropriate support for language learning parents. Many of the strategies we use to make content comprehensible for ELLs are also helpful in working with linguistically diverse parent populations. Think: visuals, graphic organizers, and translated or icon-based cheat sheets for potentially unfamiliar terminology (for example, immunizations, English language development services).

Actively facilitate advisory, advocacy, and mentorship roles that are inclusive of caretakers who are learning English.

Intentionally craft and promote volunteer opportunities and teacher aide positions that appeal to diverse parent groups.

Host a variety of parent-school partnership events.

Offer outreach partnerships and community liaison roles that require cross-cultural or multilingual expertise.

Create an accessible bank of relevant tools and resources based on parent interest.

Organize parent-created learning sessions.

Collect input via English-learner parent focus groups, advisory committees, suggestion boxes, surveys, and interviews.

Consistently utilize parent feedback to inform decision making at the classroom, school, and district levels.

5. Increase Capacity

Grow English learner caretakers as leaders in the school community by providing a range of low-risk opportunities for parent input, feedback, and cultural sharing. Here are some ideas:

6. Find Your Way Home

In building and nurturing relationships with ELL families, the value of teacher home visits cannot be understated: They provide essential insight into a student's home life and unique learning needs, and "support academic gains and positive social integration for ELLs." They are linked to improved academic progress and attendance rates. Perhaps most importantly, teacher home visits lay a foundation of trust as the frontrunner to school-based parent engagement.

In the vast majority of cases, our English learner parents have high hopes for their children's scholastic well-being and wish to contribute to that success. When parents feel that they are a part of an inclusive learning culture and have a clear awareness of their role in their child's learning, true partnerships can occur.

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6 Tips for Engaging the Families of English Language Learners

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Schools can better support students who are still learning English by working to involve their families in their education.

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ELL students need extra support and someone fighting for them! These students face different challenges than native speakers and it is our job to give them the resources they need.

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Every student should feel need and seen in their classroom. This picture reminds us that everyone is different but also special and an important part of the whole.

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Finding ways to include a student's home language in the classroom with help them feel more comfortable in the school setting.

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Making Classrooms More Inclusive for Multilingual Learners

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Taking an asset-based approach to supporting students who are new to the English language can help them thrive.

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Show aspects of different cultures in the classroom, maybe different flags for example, so that no singular narrative is being pushed.

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English can be expressed in different ways without any of the ways being 'wrong'. This is a very fluid language with many ways of communication.

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Even in America, English sounds different!

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Even in America, English sounds different!

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There is no singular voice of English. Everyone has an accent in one way or another, none of which are better or worse than another.

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American English Regional Dialects (Language and Social Issues)

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Sentences need to be structured in a certain way to hold their meaning. Words cannot be thrown together randomly without thought to their order.

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Learning English takes a variety of skills, all working together, to make sense! Knowing and combining all of these is how fluency emerges.