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SupportEd develops free tools, checklists, and resources to help educators and administrators better serve their English learners (ELs) and multilingual learners (MLs).

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SupportEd has developed some free tools to help educators and administrators better serve English learners.

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Presentation Slides Session 4, December 15, 2022

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Presentation Slides Session 4, December 15, 2022

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Our nation's moment of reckoning with the deficit view of multilingual learners has arrived. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated long-standing inequities that stand in the way of MLs' access to effective instruction. Recent events have also caused us to reflect on our place as educators within the intersection of race and language. In this innovative book, Sydney Snyder and Diane Staehr Fenner share practical, replicable ways you can draw from students' strengths and promote multilingual learners' success within and beyond your own classroom walls.
In this book you'll find:

Practical and printable tools that guide you on how to implement culturally responsive teaching in your context

Case studies and reflection exercises to help identify implicit bias in your work and mitigate deficit-based thinking

Authentic classroom video clips in each chapter to show you what culturally responsive teaching looks like in practice

Hand-drawn sketch note graphics that spotlight key concepts and reinforce central themes with memorable illustrations

There is no time like the present for you to reflect on your role in culturally responsive teaching and use new tools to build an even stronger school community that is inclusive of MLs. No matter your role or where you are in your journey, you can confront injustice by taking action steps to develop a climate in which all students' backgrounds, experiences, and cultures are honored and educators, families, and communities work collaboratively to help MLs thrive. We owe it to our students.
See What Readers Are Saying About Culturally Responsive Teaching for MLs

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Our nation's moment of reckoning with the deficit view of multilingual learners has arrived. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated long-standing inequities that stand in the way of MLs' access to effective instruction. Recent events have also caused us to reflect on our place as educators within the intersection of race and language.

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Session 4: Supporting Graduation and Post-Secondary Success of SLIFE

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A. DeCapua, H. W. Marshall, & L. F. Tang

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Today's public schools are brimming with students who are not only new to English but who also have limited or interrupted schooling. These students, referred to as SLIFE (or SIFE), create unique challenges for teachers and administrators.

Like its predecessor, this book is grounded in research and is designed to be an accessible and practical resource for teachers, staff, and administrators who work with students with limited or interrupted formal education. Chapters 3-5 focus on classroom instruction, but others address issues of concern to administrators and staff too. For example, Chapter 6 explores different program models for SLIFE instruction, but the planning and commitment to creating a successful program require the involvement of many across the school community, not just teachers.

This edition features case studies, model programs, and teaching techniques and tips; also included is a new chapter focused on the Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm (MALP (R)). A major theme of this new edition is moving school personnel away from a deficit perspective, when it comes to teaching SLIFE, and toward one of difference. The goal is to help all stakeholders in the school community create and foster inclusion of, and equity for, a population that is all too often marginalized, ignored, and underserved.

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Today's public schools are brimming with students who are not only new to English but who also have limited or interrupted schooling. These students, referred to as SLIFE (or SIFE), create unique challenges ...

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Maine Department of Education Defines Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

The Office of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Programs and Bilingual Programs has released a state definition of a Student with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). This is a student who meets the following criteria:

1. Is a multilingual learner;

2. Has an English language proficiency level (as measured by WIDA assessments) of level 2.0 or below for students in grades 2-3 or level 2.5 or below for students in grades 4-12;

3. Is at least eight years old; and

4. Has experienced at least one of the following:

1. No formal schooling

2. Interruptions in formal schooling (defined as two or more re-enrollments or two years or more less schooling than typical peers)

3. Consistent but limited formal schooling outside the United States; and/or

4. Functions at two or more years below expected grade level in native language literacy and/or math skills relative to typical peers

For a printable, quick-reference guide click here.
For the past two and a half years, members of the Maine Department of Education (DOE), the Multilingual Learner Advisory Committee (MLAC), Support Ed, and Agora Learning, have been developing this definition to be specific and easily applied and understood.

Support Ed provided four webinars on SLIFE characteristics and general needs, resources and strategies for serving SLIFE, graduation and post-secondary education guidance and opportunities, and a wealth of resources for educators to refer to. Recordings of webinars are archived here: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/multilinguallearner/p

A padlet of SLIFE resources can be found here: https://padlet.com/diane30/maine-department-of-education-supporting-students-with-limit-a2eouyixynryahtm?utm_source=Padlet.

Agora Learning and Support Ed are continuing their work to develop a SLIFE screener to be used by our Maine school districts. Maine DOE will be developing a SLIFE guidance manual and additional professional learning opportunities that will support districts to identify SLIFE and develop SLIFE programming.

If you have questions regarding the Maine DOE SLIFE definition, please contact:

Rebecca Carey: rebecca.carey@maine.gov

Robin Fleck: robin.fleck@maine.gov

Maine DOE Resources & Trainings

Maine Educational Disruption Diploma

Federal Guidance

Newcomer Tool Kit: US Department of Education, 2016

Welcoming, Registering, and Supporting Newcomer Students: A Toolkit for Educators of Immigrant and Refugee Students in Secondary Schools: Institute of Educational Sciences, 2021

Other Resources

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The Office of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Programs and Bilingual Programs has released a state definition of a Student with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).

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Presentation Slides Session 1, September 22, 2022

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Presentation Slides Session 1, September 22, 2022

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Session 1: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Social Emotional Learning for SLIFE

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Maine DOE - Multilingual Learner Dashboard

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Maine DOE - Multilingual Learner Dashboard

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English Learners (HOME)How to use the Tableau Toolbar How to Export Dashboard Data

See Also

Integrity of Data Disseminated in an Electronic Medium

Disclaimer: Data Limitations

The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) has made a reasonable effort to ensure that the information in these dashboards are up-to-date, accurate, complete, and comprehensive at the time of disclosure. These records are a true and accurate representation of the data on file at the MDOE. Authenticated information is accurate only as of the time of validation and verification. The MDOE is not responsible for data that is misinterpreted or altered in any way. Derived conclusions and analyses generated from this data are not to be considered attributable to the MDOE.

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Multilingual Learner (English Learner) Dashboard

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English Learners (HOME) How to use the Tableau Toolbar How to Export Dashboard Data Disclaimer: Data Limitations The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) has made a reasonable effort to ensure that the information in these dashboards are up-to-date, accurate, complete, and comprehensive at the time of disclosure.

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Students with Interrupted Formal Education

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Students with Interrupted Formal Education

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B. Custodio & J. O'Loughlin

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"One of the guiding principles of effective English language teaching is for educators to know their students. And that in a nutshell captures the value of this book. . . . The compassion that Custodio and O'Loughlin feel for our SIFE students, the commitment they have to educating them well, and the comprehension they have of the assets these learners bring to the classroom are evident in the writing, tools, and vignettes they share."

-Deborah J. Short

Under the best of circumstances, the academic demands of today's classrooms can be daunting to our English learners. But for the tens of thousands of newly arrived students with interrupted formal education, even the social challenges can be outright overwhelming.

Rely on this all-in-one guide from Brenda Custodio and Judith O'Loughlin for expert insight on how to build the skills these students need for success in school and beyond. Inside you'll find

Essential background on factors leading to interrupted education

Specific focus on refugee children and Latino immigrants

Guidance on building internal resilience for long-term social and emotional health

Recommendations for creating supportive environments at the classroom, school, and district level

About one thing, Brenda and Judith are absolutely convinced: our SIFE students can learn and make progress, often at a remarkable speed. But it's up to us, their educators, to provide the time, attention, and a specific focus. Consider this book your first step forward.

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Students With Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need

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Students With Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need

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Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Z. Hammond

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From math, literacy, equity, multilingual learners, and SEL, to assessment, school counseling, and education leadership, our books are research-based and authored by experts on topics most relevant to what educators are facing today.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain

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In this book, Zaretta Hammond draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to offer an innovative approach for designing and implementing brain-compatible culturally responsive instruction.

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Staehr Fenner, 2020

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Note: This post first appeared on k-12talk.com September 24, 2019. That piece is titled Back to School: Promoting ELs' Assets. For more culturally responsive teaching strategies for creating an asset-based environment, visit our ML Resource Library.
The proportion of English learners (ELs) in the United States public school system has reached Gaps such as these have helped lead far too many educators to see ELs as one-dimensional, defined primarily as lacking in areas such as English proficiency, achievement in content areas, and/or ability to graduate. nearly ten percent of all students and is on a nationwide growth trajectory¹. Along with this growth in numbers, ELs tend to experience an opportunity gap, which generally refers to the impact that factors such as students' English proficiency, socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity have on their achievement. For example, 79% of English fluent eighth graders scored at the basic or above reading level in 2017, while only 32% of ELs scored at those levels during that same year². In addition, ELs have one of the lowest graduation rates among all students on a national level, approximately 63% as compared to 82% of all students³. Recent research⁴ on teachers' perceptions of ELs in kindergarten through second grade suggests that classifying students as ELs has a "direct and negative effect on teachers' perceptions of students' academic skills."

That's a lot of bad news, right? It doesn't need to be that way, however.

In this blog post, I hope to raise your awareness about the importance of recognizing the multiple assets that our ELs bring.

An assets-based perspective values students' home languages and cultures and sees these gifts as foundations for future learning, rather than as hindrances to overcome. An assets-based perspective also recognizes that parents of ELs are involved in their children's education and support their children in varied and perhaps unrecognized ways⁵, rather than blaming them for their children's perceived lack of academic skills. It also provides multiple opportunities to honor students' cultural and linguistic backgrounds and incorporate what students already know into their learning. Thus, it stands in direct contrast to a deficit perspective, in which the focus is on ELs' challenges.

The good news? Despite systems which may impede ELs' assets to be recognized, individual teachers possess the agency to chip away at the deficit perspective.

Three Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies for Promoting English Learners' Assets

Engaging in an assets-based approach with ELs requires a shift in our thinking from what we believe is lacking in our students to the many strengths and assets ELs and their families already possess. To do this, we must take time to learn about our ELs' and their families' invaluable personal, cultural, social, and world experiences and draw from these strengths-based understandings to create instructional opportunities that are meaningful, purposeful and appealing to students. Not only will our ELs benefit, but English-fluent students will learn from their EL peers and see them in a new light. Here are three replicable ways to promote ELs' assets.-

1. Encourage Storytelling.

We all love to hear a good story, and ELs sharing their own stories is one way we can build bridges and help foster connections with EL students. Teachers of younger ELs can first model the task of students drawing a personal narrative storyboard or series of images⁶, then have students write a response to the sentence prompt-"What I wish my teacher knew about me." Teachers can ask older newcomer students to write a personal narrative and then share it with colleagues and school administrators.

To begin this project, interview students and ask them to write about themselves in their home languages, offering scaffolding for these tasks. Each of these activities supports the process of learning more about students' lives and experiences so that we, as educators, develop a better understanding of the linguistic and cultural assets that our students bring to our classrooms. One piece of advice: be sure to give EL students the choice to tell as much of their stories as they feel comfortable with or to have the option to not share them at all, as students may have experienced traumatic events that they wish not to share.

ELs and their families who are open to the idea could also publish their stories in school newspapers to reach a wider audience. Artwork can provide an alternative way for students to contribute their stories. (For more on this topic, please see Zacarian & Staehr Fenner's chapter "From Deficit-Based to Assets-Based" in Breaking Down the Wall: Essential Shifts for English Learners' Success.)
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➤ Self-paced. Available year-round. Earn a certificate for 20 PD hours by joining ourCulturally Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners (MLs) on-demand book study at any time.
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2. Spread the Word About ELs' Success.

To disrupt deficit thinking, I also encourage you to share news of ELs' successes - both great and small - with your school or district. There are many examples, if we are more aware of where to find them, of ways to demonstrate ELs' growth academically or personally. For instance, I love reading each spring about current or former ELs who have become high school valedictorians. These success stories highlight the metalinguistic superpowers ELs develop (not to mention hard work and persistence) as they learn content in a new language.

You can also invite successful former ELs - including those in college, receiving technical training, or in careers - back to your school in person or by video to highlight what helped them achieve. I encourage you to investigate multiple ways to disseminate your message, such as in assemblies, local newspapers, and/or on your school or district's social media channels (with students' and families' permission).
-
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3. Thoughtfully Confront the EL Deficit Mindset.

Once your awareness of the importance of promoting an assets-based perspective of ELs is raised, you may begin to notice when others make deficit-based statements about ELs. This gives you the opportunity to support a colleague's shift from a deficit to an assets-based disposition⁷.

We need to be thoughtful about challenging others' thinking in order to do so without disrupting our crucial relationships with our colleagues, especially those relationships that are formed in a new school year. All educators - no matter what their title or how many years of experience they have - are positioned to serve as agents of change when it comes to helping others shift ever so slightly to an assets-based view of ELs and their families.

But how can we best challenge others' deficit thinking when we find ourselves in the uncomfortable space in which we hear someone apply a deficit perspective in describing an EL or an EL's family?
-

When you encounter such a situation, I suggest following these steps ⁸:

1. Recognize and acknowledge your colleague's expertise.

2. First listen and try to understand your colleague's perspective, even if you may not agree with them.

3. Consider what might be happening on a systematic level to promote EL deficit thinking around this issue.

4. Suggest some potential strategies to them to better support their ELs.

5. Lighten their load by offering to help implement a new strategy or approach to support them in their work with ELs.

6. Follow up on your support for ELs by checking back in with them.

We all have the ability to spread a culture of EL assets in our sphere of influence. If you begin the school year with ELs' assets in mind, you and your colleagues will be better positioned to create a more welcoming environment for our ELs who have so much to contribute and offer. (For more on this topic, please see Zacarian & Staehr Fenner's chapter "From Deficit-Based to Assets-Based" in Breaking Down the Wall: Essential Shifts for English Learners' Success .)
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➤ Earn a certificate for 1-3 PD hours in ourSupporting ELs' Pathways
-- to Graduation on-demand course. Self-paced & available year-round.
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Three Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies for Promoting ELs' Assets Sketch Note

We encourage you to share this blog post and sketch note with colleagues to continue fostering a shared sense of accountability in the shift from a deficit to an assets-based disposition. You can click here to share our blog post and sketch note on Twitter, or click here to download this sketch note immediately.
Click here to download the Three Strategies for Promoting English Learners' Assets Sketch Note
Sources:
¹ National Center for Education Statistics. (2019). English language learners in public schools. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgf.asp

² National Center for Education Statistics. (2017). The Nation's Report Card. (2017). NAEP reading report card. Retrieved from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_2017/#/nation/achievement?grade=8

³ National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. (2018). National- and State-Level High School Graduation Rates for English Learners. Retrieved from https://ncela.ed.gov/files/fast_facts/OELA_FF_HS_GradRates.pdf

⁴ Umansky, I, & Dumont, H. (2019). English Learner Labeling: How English Learner Status Shapes Teacher Perceptions of Student Skills & the Moderating Role of Bilingual Instructional Settings. (EdWorkingPaper: 19-94). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai19-94

⁵ Staehr Fenner, D. (2014). Advocating for English learners: A guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

⁶ Zacarian, D., & Staehr Fenner, D., "From Deficit-Based to Assets-Based" (2020). In Calderón, M. et al., Breaking down the wall: Essential shifts for English learners' success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

⁷ Zacarian, D., & Staehr Fenner, D., "From Deficit-Based to Assets-Based" (2020). In Calderón, M. et al., Breaking down the wall: Essential shifts for English learners' success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

⁸ Adapted from a 2017 blog post by Diane Staehr Fenner on SupportEd: https://supported.com/supporteds-top-10-ways-support-english-learners-2017

Continue the conversation with us on Twitter:@ SupportEduc

Additional resources: 2021 Online PD Offerings | Free Checklists & Tools | Webinar Replays

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Three Strategies for Promoting English Learners' Assets

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Unlock the potential of your students with these 3 culturally responsive teaching strategies for promoting English learners' assets.

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Department of Education, 2017

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Trauma-Informed Positive Education: Using Positive Psychology to Strengthen Vulnerable Students

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Trauma-Informed Positive Education: Using Positive Psychology to Strengthen Vulnerable Students

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Brunzell, Stokes, & Waters, 2016

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Resources for working with refugees

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New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

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New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

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Welcome to Our Schools | Programs | Refugee Services

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Programs that Help Low-income New Yorkers Make Ends Meet. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance supervises support programs for families and individuals.

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Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in U.S. Secondary Schools

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Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in U.S. Secondary Schools

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A. DeCapua & H. Marshall, 2011

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Today's public schools are brimming with students who are not only new to English but who also have no schooling or a large break in their schooling. These students create unique challenges for teachers and administrators.

Breaking New Ground builds on the introduction to SLIFE presented in Meeting the Needs of Students with Limited or Interrupted Schooling (University of Michigan Press, 2009). Breaking New Ground introduces readers to and engages them in the implementation of an instructional model that has been developed over many years of working with SLIFE. Central to the instructional model and the practices presented in this book is the belief that teaching students with limited or interrupted education should in no way be considered remedial.

This book provides a complete presentation of the MALP (Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm) instructional model from theory to practice and guides readers to reflect on each element of the model, learn why and how it is essential and effective, and determine how they can use it in their own teaching of SLIFE. Breaking New Ground offers a new understanding of the SLIFE population, introduces a new instructional model, and teaches readers how to address the needs of their students using project-based learning infused with MALP.

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Today's public schools are brimming with students who are not only new to English but who also have no schooling or a large break in their schooling. These students create unique challenges for teachers ...

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SEL Framework:  Essential Actions to Achieve Equity for MLs

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SEL Framework:  Essential Actions to Achieve Equity for MLs

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SupportEd

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Eduptopia.org

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Exploring Perceptions About Identity Through Self-Portraits

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When students learn about each other's identities, it helps them understand their own biases and prejudices, as well as build a space of respect and tolerance for all.

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In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

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In the Country We Love: My Family Divided

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Diane Guerrero, 2016

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The star of Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country
Diane Guerrero, the television actress from the megahit Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, was just fourteen years old on the day her parents were detained and deported while she was at school. Born in the U.S., Guerrero was able to remain in the country and continue her education, depending on the kindness of family friends who took her in and helped her build a life and a successful acting career for herself, without the support system of her family.

In the Country We Love is a moving, heartbreaking story of one woman's extraordinary resilience in the face of the nightmarish struggles of undocumented residents in this country. There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US, many of whom have citizen children, whose lives here are just as precarious, and whose stories haven't been told. Written with bestselling author Michelle Burford, this memoir is a tale of personal triumph that also casts a much-needed light on the fears that haunt the daily existence of families likes the author's and on a system that fails them over and over.

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The Silver Key

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Praise for In the Country We Love

One of Chicago Public Library's and BookRiot's Best Books of 2016
"Guerrero, 14 at the time, was left on her own with no government oversight whatsoever, a harrowing situation that she recounts with honesty, pathos, and bravery...Guerrero transforms a truly terrible situation into something meaningful, using her story and her role as an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by the White House to try to help other immigrant families left in this terrible position." -Publishers Weekly

"Orange Is the New Black actress Guerrero delivers an affecting tale of a childhood lived in the margins. . . . lovingly detailed in colloquial and well-paced prose . . . The author's candor in chronicling the lowest moments of her life reads like an urgent confessional. . . The author's greatest strength lies in her ability to advocate for undocumented immigrants and others affected by immigration status: 'I've written the book that I wish I could have read when I was that girl.' A moving, humanizing portrait of the collateral damage caused by America's immigration policy." -Kirkus Reviews

"Guerrero relates her struggle to hold her life together, get through high school and college, and find her feet in the world--challenges that will resonate with many readers...[She] writes with humor and heartbreaking honesty. Offering readers the story she needed to hear as a child, Guerrero shines a light on this country's flawed immigration system, eloquently calling f... More...

One of Chicago Public Library's and BookRiot's Best Books of 2016
"Guerrero, 14 at the time, was left on her own with no government oversight whatsoever, a harrowing situation that she recounts with honesty, pathos, and bravery...Guerrero transforms a truly terrible situation into something meaningful, using her story and her role as an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by the White House to try to help other immigrant families left in this terrible position." -Publishers Weekly

"Orange Is the New Black actress Guerrero delivers an affecting tale of a childhood lived in the margins. . . . lovingly detailed in colloquial and well-paced prose . . . The author's candor in chronicling the lowest moments of her life reads like an urgent confessional. . . The author's greatest strength lies in her ability to advocate for undocumented immigrants and others affected by immigration status: 'I've written the book that I wish I could have read when I was that girl.' A moving, humanizing portrait of the collateral damage caused by America's immigration policy." -Kirkus Reviews

"Guerrero relates her struggle to hold her life together, get through high school and college, and find her feet in the world--challenges that will resonate with many readers...[She] writes with humor and heartbreaking honesty. Offering readers the story she needed to hear as a child, Guerrero shines a light on this country's flawed immigration system, eloquently calling for reform without diminishing her appreciation for the opportunities US citizenship has afforded her. A timely and enlightening read."-Booklist

" In the Country We Love is the poignant, candid, and often shocking account of the challenges Guerrero faced as a citizen child of undocumented parents"-Kirkus Reviews [special cover feature]

"I think putting your life down on paper as honest and raw as Diane Guerrero has done is brave..., Guerrero bares her life showing her faults, her heart, her humor, that the saying kids are resilient is not so, and most importantly her fight to thrive and succeed. I could not recommend this book enough, especially if you liked The Book of Unknown Americans." -Book Riot [best books of April 2016]

" In the Country We Love is a necessary story for our times...It is a heartrending memoir that humanizes the story of America's immigration policies and helps us all find a way to understand the challenging questions and ineffective strategies of current policies and practices." -San Antonio News-Express

"Advocating on behalf of the undocumented immigrants in our country, Guerrero's memoir is a well-written tell-all of a woman who traveled a difficult path to stardom." -ReadItForward.com

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Reviews from Goodreads

Diane Guerrero with Michelle Burford

Diane Guerrero is an actress on the hit shows Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin. She volunteers with the nonprofit Immigrant Legal Resource Center, as well as with Mi Familia Vota, an organization that promotes civic involvement. She has been named an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by the White House. She lives in New York City.

Michelle Burford is a founding editor of O, The Oprah Magazine and writer of many best-selling books including memoirs by Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, singer Toni Braxton, and Cleveland kidnap survivor Michelle Knight.

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Reviews

One of Chicago Public Library's and BookRiot's Best Books of 2016
"Guerrero, 14 at the time, was left on her own with no government oversight whatsoever, a harrowing situation that she recounts with honesty, pathos, and bravery...Guerrero transforms a truly terrible situation into something meaningful, using her story and her role as an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by the White House to try to help other immigrant families left in this terrible position." -Publishers Weekly

"Orange Is the New Black actress Guerrero delivers an affecting tale of a childhood lived in the margins. . . . lovingly detailed in colloquial and well-paced prose . . . The author's candor in chronicling the lowest moments of her life reads like an urgent confessional. . . The author's greatest strength lies in her ability to advocate for undocumented immigrants and others affected by immigration status: 'I've written the book that I wish I could have read when I was that girl.' A moving, humanizing portrait of the collateral damage caused by America's immigration policy." -Kirkus Reviews

"Guerrero relates her struggle to hold her life together, get through high school and college, and find her feet in the world--challenges that will resonate with many readers...[She] writes with humor and heartbreaking honesty. Offering readers the story she needed to hear as a child, Guerrero shines a light on this country's flawed immigration system, eloquently calling f... More...

One of Chicago Public Library's and BookRiot's Best Books of 2016
"Guerrero, 14 at the time, was left on her own with no government oversight whatsoever, a harrowing situation that she recounts with honesty, pathos, and bravery...Guerrero transforms a truly terrible situation into something meaningful, using her story and her role as an Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by the White House to try to help other immigrant families left in this terrible position." -Publishers Weekly

"Orange Is the New Black actress Guerrero delivers an affecting tale of a childhood lived in the margins. . . . lovingly detailed in colloquial and well-paced prose . . . The author's candor in chronicling the lowest moments of her life reads like an urgent confessional. . . The author's greatest strength lies in her ability to advocate for undocumented immigrants and others affected by immigration status: 'I've written the book that I wish I could have read when I was that girl.' A moving, humanizing portrait of the collateral damage caused by America's immigration policy." -Kirkus Reviews

"Guerrero relates her struggle to hold her life together, get through high school and college, and find her feet in the world--challenges that will resonate with many readers...[She] writes with humor and heartbreaking honesty. Offering readers the story she needed to hear as a child, Guerrero shines a light on this country's flawed immigration system, eloquently calling for reform without diminishing her appreciation for the opportunities US citizenship has afforded her. A timely and enlightening read."-Booklist

" In the Country We Love is the poignant, candid, and often shocking account of the challenges Guerrero faced as a citizen child of undocumented parents"-Kirkus Reviews [special cover feature]

"I think putting your life down on paper as honest and raw as Diane Guerrero has done is brave..., Guerrero bares her life showing her faults, her heart, her humor, that the saying kids are resilient is not so, and most importantly her fight to thrive and succeed. I could not recommend this book enough, especially if you liked The Book of Unknown Americans." -Book Riot [best books of April 2016]

" In the Country We Love is a necessary story for our times...It is a heartrending memoir that humanizes the story of America's immigration policies and helps us all find a way to understand the challenging questions and ineffective strategies of current policies and practices." -San Antonio News-Express

"Advocating on behalf of the undocumented immigrants in our country, Guerrero's memoir is a well-written tell-all of a woman who traveled a difficult path to stardom." -ReadItForward.com

- Less...

Marcus Branch

Related Links

Reading Guide

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In the Country We Love | Diane Guerrero | Macmillan

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g The star of Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin presents her personal story of the real plight of undocumented immigrants in this country Diane Guerrero, the television actress from the megahit Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, was just fourteen years old on the day her parents were detained and deported while she was at school.

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Community Walk Student Planning Template

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Presentation Slides Session 2, October 20, 2022

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Presentation Slides Session 2, October 20, 2022

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Session 2: Effective Instruction for SLIFE

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The International High School is a New York City public school dedicated to serving newly arrived immigrant teenagers, with more than 300 students speaking two-dozen languages from 50 countries. The students strive to master English, adapt to families they haven't seen in years, confront the universal trials of adolescence, and search for a future they can claim as their own.

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Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms 

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Funds of Knowledge for Teaching: Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms 

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Support USAHello | Organization Helping Immigrants in the US

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USAHello is a non-profit offering free multilingual information and classes to immigrants and refugees. Learn how to support our efforts.

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The Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm®, or MALP®, is a culturally responsive instructional approach to help educators address the needs of students with limited or interrupted formal education (S…

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The Academic Adaptation of Immigrant Students with Interrupted Schooling

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The Academic Adaptation of Immigrant Students with Interrupted Schooling

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Ellevation: ML Program Management Tools for K-12

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Newcomers, or students who have recently resettled in the US, make up a significant portion of multilingual learners. Because of their diverse experiences, they bring a unique set of assets and experiences to the classroom. In this toolkit, we will share a variety of ways educators can better understand and support these students.

This toolkit is meant as a guide which can be worked through in any order. You can pick and choose which pieces will be most helpful to you and work through your selection at your own pace.

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Newcomers, or students who have recently resettled in the US, make up a significant portion of multilingual learners. Because of their diverse experiences, they bring a unique set of assets and experiences to the classroom. In this toolkit, we will share a variety of ways educators can better understand and support these students.

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Reading 101 for English Language Learners

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Reading 101 for English Language Learners

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Learning to read is a complicated process. If you teach English language learners (ELLs), however, there are a number of ways you can support their literacy and language development through targeted instruction.

This article highlights ELL instructional strategies based on the five components of reading as outlined in Teaching Children to Read by the National Reading Panel (2000). This report is a study of research-based best practices in reading instruction and it focuses on the following five instructional areas: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension. In addition, the article includes information related to two additional important areas of instruction for ELLs, oral language and the role of the home language.

Each of these topics is explored below, and each section includes:

a definition

an explanation of why the component is important when learning to read

challenges that ELLs may face

strategies for ELL instruction

You will find references to more in-depth information about ELLs and effective reading instruction from recommended resources below.

Note: Since this article includes in-depth information on a number of topics, we encourage you to use it in professional learning communities, jigsaw activities, and other collaborative settings!

What does the research say?

Before jumping in, it's important to note that, in general, what we know about effective literacy instruction for English speakers holds true for ELLs, but modifications and adjustments may be needed (Goldenberg, 2008). Since the original National Reading Panel did not include ELLs' literacy development as part of its research review, a subsequent panel reviewed the research related to language learners and released a report authored by principal investigator Dr. Diane August and panel chair Dr. Timothy Shanahan titled Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth.

Within the executive summary of that report, the authors note that, "Instruction that provides substantial coverage in the key components of reading - identified by the National Reading Panel (NICHD, 2000) as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension - has clear benefits for language-minority students." They continue, "However, while approaches that are similar to those used with native-language populations are effective, the research suggests that adjustments to these approaches are needed to have maximum benefit with language-minority students." (p. 3)

For example, many practices may need modifications or scaffolds which may not be reflected in different reading programs or materials (August, 2018; Goldenberg, 2008), and in some cases, certain strategies may not be appropriate even with adjustments. In addition, the authors note the important role of two areas that were not addressed in the original National Reading Panel: students' home language and oral language.

Many examples of specific modifications are outlined in the strategies below, along with discussion of home language and oral language. You can find additional research resources at the end of the article, including a recent working paper published by Pivot Learning, Narrowing Down to Find Common Ground: Shared Agreements for Effective Literacy Instruction in California.

An in-depth video book study highlighting Literacy Foundations for English Learners by Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is also publicly available on YouTube.

When working with ELLs, students' home languages are a powerful tool that educators can use - even if they don't speak those languages or are working in a classroom with students who speak many languages. Drs. August and Shanahan write, "Oral proficiency and literacy in the first language can be used to facilitate literacy development in English" (2006, p. 5). And in hisColorín Colorado article about the value of students' home language, Dr. Fred Genesee writes:

Extensive research, again from around the world, has found that children who are learning to read in a second language are able to transfer many skills and knowledge from their first language to facilitate their acquisition of reading skills in the second language. The best evidence of this comes from studies showing that students with strong reading skills in the home language also have strong reading skills in their second language. Much of this work has been done on ELLs in the U.S. (August & Shanahan, 2006; Riches & Genesee, 2006).

Tapping into students' home languages (also referred to as a first or native language) as a resource can take different forms:

Helping students make connections between their language and English in order to identify similarities and differences, such as English/Spanish cognates

Providing opportunities to use the home language in the classroom for reading, writing, and discussion

Encouraging students to draw on all of their language skills across languages, which is called translanguaging

Promoting biliteracy through bilingual or dual-language instruction, which can support students' future opportunities and family ties (not to mention brain health!), with initiatives such as the Seal of Biliteracy, which has been adopted in many states

It is important to keep in mind that the extent to which a student's literacy skills from their first language transfer depends on many factors, such as how similar the alphabetic systems between the two languages are and whether they share any connection in their origins, such as two languages that both derive from Latin (Nieser & Cárdenas-Hagan, 2020, p. 65). The students' levels of literacy in their home language will also have an impact on their literacy development in their new language. Learning more about the languages students speak can help educators target instruction, notice patterns among speakers of the same language, and help students understand the relationship between their language and English

You can also provide students and families with access to bilingual books and texts and encourage families to continue using and developing the home language through activities such as rhymes, storytelling, and conversation at home. You will also find specific strategies related to home language throughout the key components below.

Recommended resources

In addition, as you will see below, oral language has a role to play across all reading skills, yet it often does not receive much attention as a critical part of ELLs' language and literacy development. Drs. August and Shanahan write, "Instruction in the key components of reading is necessary - but not sufficient - for teaching language-minority students to read and write proficiently in English. Oral proficiency in English is critical as well - but student performance suggests that it is often overlooked in instruction." (2006, p. 5)

Oral language supports students' literacy skills in different ways. For example, students need to be familiar not only with the sounds and letters they are learning but also the words in which they appear in order to support their word recognition and comprehension. Other more global oral language skills, such as facility with English syntax and grammar, and the ability to navigate specific language functions like describing, predicting, and comparing, also contribute to both reading and writing development for ELLs.

In addition, strengthening oral language supports students' ability to participate in peer groups and their proficiency in speaking and writing using academic language. Students need opportunities to practice applying their emerging oral language skills through partner talk and peer work (scaffolded with supports such as sentence frames), activities such as partner reading, and responding to comprehension questions using academic language.

Dr. Carrie Simkin, the director of our sister site AdLit.org, offers the following suggestions related to oral language:

Make it a learning target for lesson planning (e.g. be intentional about planning for it).

Consider how much of the learning time in your classroom is text based vs. discussion. Do students have opportunities to discuss ideas or do they mostly respond in written formats? We want to engage students in lively discussions!

Consider if students have opportunities to work in pairs as well as small groups and not just respond to teacher-generated questions.

Have you modeled how to orally respond to questions using the question as a sentence starter? Do you have sentence starters visible for share-outs?

Our strategies related to oral language are also woven throughout the components below.

Recommended resources

Note: You can read more about the role of oral language in the foreword of Comprehension and English Language Learners.

Phonemic Awareness and ELLs

Keeping the areas of home language and oral language in mind, let's dive into the five key skill areas, starting with phonemic awareness.

Phonemic awareness is an important indicator of how well children will learn to read. Sometimes it is difficult, however, for speakers of a second language to "hear" and say sounds in the language they are learning. If you have had a student who could not master a particular sound in English, the sound may not have been a part of the student's native language.

In her chapter of Literacy Foundations for English Learners, Dr. Virginia Lovelace-Gonzalez notes that, "Phonological awareness skills can transfer across languages when students have opportunities to build these skills in their native language and English" (2020, p. 53).

For example, there are multiple sounds in English and Spanish that will directly transfer between languages, even if the sounds are associated with different letters (p. 50). Dr. Lovelace-Gonzalez writes, "For ELs, phonemic activities in English can be complicated by having to recognize sounds in English that do not exist in their native language...Instructionally, it is important for teachers to determine some of the similarities and differences between English and the student's native language to ensure the opportunity to learn" (p. 53).

Phonemic Awareness: Considerations and Strategies

What: The ability to hear and manipulate the different sounds in our language.

Why it matters: Phonemic awareness is the foundation for spelling and word recognition skills.

Considerations for ELLs

Learn more about the students' home languages.

Start by visiting a resource such as MyLanguages.org or Omniglot.com, which shares an overview of many different global languages.

Ask bilingual colleagues about how their languages are similar or different from English and common areas that need attention when learning English. For example, a group of Ukrainian teachers shared some of the questions that Ukrainian speakers have when learning English in this Colorín Colorado article.

Identify whether there are any sounds that your students' languages share with English. Use these as a starting point in your instruction. In addition, find out which sounds might be new to your students and be sure to include explicit practice of those sounds.

Help students think about the connection between their language and English.

Ask students how their language is the same or different than English in terms of how the language is written, the sounds that letters or symbols make, and words that might be related.

Help students become familiar with sounds, letters, and symbols that are shared between languages, as well as those that are not shared between the languages. (Some examples across different languages are included in Literacy Foundations for English Learners.)

Ask students if they have words that begin with a particular sound, or if there are any words related to a particular word in English. This can work with students who have limited literacy skills in their first language too.

Help beginning readers learn to identify sounds in short words.

Have students practice identifying the sounds in the beginning, middle, and end of these words. You may wish to use words that begin with a consonant, have a short vowel, and end in a consonant (CVC words) such as mat, top, and bus.

One very effective method is having students match pictures of words that have the same beginning, middle, or ending sound.

Use words that students already know in English.

Videos

Learn how to pronounce the 44 phonemes in English.

Phonics and ELLs

Phonics instruction aims to help new readers understand that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Students benefit from learning and practicing sounds and symbols, including blended combinations. ELLs often show many strengths in mastering early phonics skills but it's important to remember that decoding while reading and correctly spelling words does not ensure good comprehension.

That's why it's important to ensure that ELLs are familiar with the words they are learning to decode in order to support their comprehension. The authors of Words Their Way with English Learners write, "English learners need structured opportunities to learn many new words to add to their repertoires so that these words can become the material of their literacy learning" (2011, p. 79).

Phonics: Considerations and Strategies

Considerations for ELLs

Use a word study approach.

Word study is a powerful approach that connects letters, sound, meaning, word parts, and usage so that students are learning explicit foundational skills within a meaningful context. For example, ELLs need lots of opportunities to connect the sounds, letters, and words they are learning.

The authors of Words Their Way with English Learners write, "What is key to literacy development for English learners in the emergent stage is that they use language with teachers and peers and see oral language they understand captured in print" (Helman et al, 2011).

Look for opportunities to reinforce phonics in context.

Using literature and content material, you can introduce and reinforce:

letter recognition

beginning and ending sounds

blends

rhyming words

silent letters

homonyms

Vocabulary and ELLs

Vocabulary plays an important part in learning to read, as well as in understanding what is read.

As students learn to read more advanced texts, they must learn the meaning of new words that are not part of their oral vocabulary. For ELLs, vocabulary development is especially important as students' develop academic language - in all subjects and activities! There are numerous ways to support explicit vocabulary instruction, which is essential for developing students' vocabulary knowledge. Dr. Coleen D. Carlson writes,

For EL students, drawing attention to unknown words during the initial presentation of the text, providing appropriate levels of definitions (e.g., providing English labels for words for which concepts and labels in one's native language are understood, quick definitions or demonstrations for simple words) and tying to background knowledge is critical. No amount of simply reading and rereading words will produce knowledge of unknown vocabulary. (2020, p. 97)

Vocabulary: Considerations and Strategies

Considerations for ELLs

Draw upon students' home languages.

You can draw upon students' home languages to build vocabulary by:

It is important to give students as much exposure and experience with new vocabulary words as possible before asking students to use them in a lesson or activity.

Select words that will support the reader's understanding of the story or text, as well as for other phrases and connectors that affect comprehension (even though, except, etc.). You can pre-teach vocabulary by using English as a second language (ESL) methods such as:

Role playing or pantomiming

Using gestures

Showing real objects

Pointing to pictures

Doing quick drawings on the board

Using the equivalent in students' languages and then asking students to say the word in English

Providing a student-friendly definition

Using graphic organizers

Cognates are words in different languages that are derived from the same original word or root. About 40% of all English words have cognates in Spanish (such as the English/Spanish cognate "family/familia"). This is an obvious bridge to the English language for Spanish speakers if the student is made aware of how to use this resource.

Teach students to recognize and use cognates, or words that are related across languages, and encourage students to be on the lookout for cognates from other languages as well.

Give students an opportunity to practice using new words.

As the teacher, you can explicitly teach word meanings to improve comprehension. However, to know a word means knowing it in all of the following dimensions:

The ability to define a word

The ability to recognize when to use that word

Knowledge of its multiple meanings

The ability to decode and spell that word

The ability to use different definitions word accurately in different contexts

Ensure students understand a new word by asking them to produce it themselves either orally or in writing.

I taught a summer school unit on habitats and healthy environments, and every student had to learn the phrase, "Reduce, reuse, recycle." Over the course of four weeks I gave students many opportunities to use those words to describe what we were doing: "We are reusing the grocery bag," or "We reused the scratch paper."

Build students' academic vocabulary.

You can increase students' academic vocabulary by teaching common structures and terms used in a specific content area. For example, sentence frames are a great way to get students familiar with these structures and can be used in writing and speaking:

You can learn more strategies in this related article.

The _____ is ______ than the _____.

I can conclude ______ because _______.

Videos

ESOL Specialist Sheila Majdi: Using sentence frames with ELLs

ESOL specialist Sheila Majdi from Arlington, VA explains what a sentence frame is and how she might use this strategy with ELLs.

Interactive reading of a story

In this classroom clip, first-grade teacher Albuquerque teacher Ali Nava leads her students through an interactive reading of Burro's Tortillas, a Southwestern adaptation of "The Little Red Hen."

Focusing on language in literacy instruction

In this classroom clip, fifth-grade teacher Clara Gonzales-Espinoza helps her students expand their understanding of the way language is used in a picture book version of Cinderella.

Instruction of key academic vocabulary with high school ELLs

In this lesson, students read a letter that Captain John Smith of the English Army wrote to Queen Anne in 1616. You can see lesson materials and reflection interviews from ELL teacher Anne Formato in our related classroom module.

Fluency and ELLs

Fluency is a tricky area when it comes to ELL reading instruction. For native English speakers, fluency and reading comprehension often share a strong correlation because fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time. This is not always the case for ELLs.

Many ELLs can be deceptively fast and accurate in their reading because they are good readers in their primary language and have strong decoding skills. Yet they may demonstrate little understanding of the text, and hearing the text out loud may not necessarily provide a step towards comprehension as it is likely to do for native speakers. One important factor in the connection between fluency and comprehension is ELLs' oral language skills, which Dr. Carlson describes as "an important foundation that supports the role of fluency as a bridge to comprehension" (p. 93).

Fluency: Considerations and Strategies

Inaccurate indicator of ELLs' comprehension

It is not unusual for an ELL student to read a passage beautifully and then not be able answer more than a couple of comprehension questions correctly. Decoding skills (sounding out words) and comprehending the text are two different skills.

Limited benefit from hearing texts read aloud

Native speakers who are not strong decoders can often comprehend text that is read to them better than text that they read themselves. That's because when someone else is doing the reading, they can focus on meaning without having to struggle to get the words off the page.

With ELLs, however, comprehension problems tend to be associated with limited vocabulary and limited background knowledge. Thus, listening to text read by someone else won't enhance comprehension.

Comprehension and ELLs

Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately understand written material, children need to be able to 1) decode what they read; 2) make connections between what they read and what they already know; and 3) think deeply about what they have read. Comprehension can be the most difficult skill to master, however, and can elude students who have mastered word-level skills. According to the executive summary of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth,

An important finding that emerges from the research is that word-level skills in literacy - such as decoding, word recognition and spelling - are often taught well enough to allow language-minority students to attain levels of performance equal to those of native English speakers. However, this is not the case for text-level skills - reading comprehension and writing. (p. 4)

ELLs at all levels of English proficiency, and literacy development, will benefit from explicit instruction in comprehension skills along with other skills because improved comprehension will not only help them in language arts and ESL classes - it will help them in content-area classes and in daily activities. It will also improve the chances of their interest in reading for pleasure.

Learn more from the following articles:

Comprehension: Considerations and Strategies

Considerations for ELLs

ELLs who struggle with comprehension may read more slowly, have a hard time following a text or story, have a hard time picking out important events, and feel frustrated. They may also have problems mastering new concepts in their content-area classes or completing assignments and assessments because they cannot comprehend the texts and tests for these subjects.

Check comprehension frequently.

As students read, ask them open-ended questions about what they are reading, and informally test students' ability to sequence material from sentences or a story by printing sentences from a section of the story on paper strips, mixing the strips or word order, and having students put them in order.

Use questions after reading.

After the ELLs and/or whole class have completed the reading, you can test their comprehension with carefully crafted questions, taking care to use simple sentences and key vocabulary from the text they just read.

These questions can be at the:

Videos

This video showcases a 5 th-grade team planning a science lesson about the difference between vascular and non-vascular plants. ESOL specialist Katy Padilla plays a key role in advocating for ELLs throughout the lesson planning process and sharing her strategies for engaging and supporting students.

Making Dual-Language Immersion Work

This video provides an introduction to Claremont Immersion School's dual language model and shows how teachers collaborating to develop a language arts language in English and Spanish.

Assessment for ELLs

Learn how third-grade teacher Samantha Kirch uses informal assessment in her classroom to better evaluate ELLs and their progress.

Story setup: Pre-reading strategies for comprehension

Learn about pre-reading strategies that will lay the groundwork before high school newcomer ELLs tackle a new text.

Teaching ELLs in upper elementary, middle school, and high school

Older ELLs bring a lot of valuable experience and interests to the classroom. At the same time, they face the double challenge of needing to learn content and a new language at the same time, which is further complicated if their literacy skills are limited. While they may still need foundational skills work, it can be hard to find materials that are age-appropriate. You can learn more about specific tips for supporting this diverse population from the following resources:

For great classroom videos at the secondary level, see our classroom video library!

Concluding Thoughts

This is a lot of information, but we hope that these resources and recommendations can inform your work with students as well as the conversations about literacy in your setting. The more familiar your team is with best practices for ELLs, the more effectively you can determine which practices and resources will best support your students in their ongoing literacy development - and future successes!

Recommend Resources

This new working paper released by Pivot Learning reflects collective consensus among literacy experts on key topics concerning (1) literacy and multilingual and English learner students; (2) early screening and assessment; and (3) foundational skills.

To learn more about the paper and how it was developed, see Can common ground be found on teaching reading in California? (EdSource)

Research articles and chapters

Books

Literacy Foundations for English Learners by Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan (You can see the related book study on YouTube.)

Words Their Way with English Learners: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling (2nd Ed.) by Dr. Lori Helman, Dr. Donald R. Bear, Dr. Shane Templeton, Dr. Marcia Invernizzi, and Dr. Francine Johnston

Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners by Dr. Nancy Cloud, Dr. Fred Genesee, and Dr. Else Hamayan

Dual Language Instruction from A to Z: Practical Guidance for Teachers and Administrators by Dr. Else Hamayan, Dr. Fred Genesee, and Dr. Nancy Cloud

Webcasts

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Reading 101 for English Language Learners

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Learning to read is a complicated process. If you teach English language learners (ELLs), however, there are a number of ways you can support their literacy and language development through targeted instruction. This article highlights ELL instructional strategies based on the five components of reading as outlined in Teaching Children to Read by the National Reading Panel (2000).

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Sharing wordless books is a terrific way to build important literacy skills, including listening skills, vocabulary, comprehension and an increased awareness of how stories are structured. And children love them — they can really pore over the pictures and create their own story in their own words.…

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2 - Categories of Scaffolds and Examples

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Suggested Scaffolds at Each Proficiency Level

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Suggested Scaffolds at Each Proficiency Level

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We Are Teachers

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The Best Wordless Picture Books for the Classroom

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Guaranteed to jumpstart great conversations.

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Editable (ML version) - Scaffolding Planning Checklist

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Adapted from Steinhardt, New York University, 2009

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Adapted from August, Staehr Fenner, & Snyder, 2014

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Adapted from Baker, et al., 2014

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Adapted from August, Staehr Fenner, & Snyder, 2014

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Presentation Slides Session 3, November 17, 2022

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Presentation Slides Session 3, November 17, 2022

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Session 3: Supporting SLIFE Family and Community Engagement

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Student and Family Engagement Resources for Schools

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Student and Family Engagement Resources for Schools

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Education and Afghan Newcomers: Keeping the Promise Webinar: The Office of English Language Acquisition in partnership with the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement hosted a webinar on January 24, 2022, to support Afghan newcomers in K-12 schools. During this webinar, the presenters shared an overview of the resettlement process, information about the rights of students, and resources about funding and other supports available to the K-12 community as we work to ensure access to equitable and excellent education for Afghan newcomers.

How Schools Can Partner with Afghan Refugee Families. Colorín Colorado, 2021.
The resources compiled on this page provide recommendations to educators on how schools can partner with Afghan refugee families who will be arriving to the U.S. in the coming months. The resource provides links to information about Afghan refugees and communities as well as to refugee support resources from school districts.

Center for Parent Information and Resources (CIPR) is funded to create products and services that increase Parent Center's knowledge and capacity. It is the central HUB of information and products created for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities.

The Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) works to improve the capacity of state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), and schools to establish, scale-up, and sustain the PBIS framework to scale up for students at risk of disabilities; to enhance school climate and school safety; and to improve conditions for learning to promote well-being of all students. This resource includes considerations for supporting English learners and students who have immigrated to the U.S.

The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) was designated the HUB for early childhood (birth to 5) for all resources for COVID-19. They have resources on disaster planning and trauma response, remote service delivery and distance learning, family resources and COVID-19 resources. Included on this site is a resource on Trauma and Stress provided by ZERO to THREE.

The IRIS Center develops and disseminates free, engaging online resources about evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices to support the education of all students, particularly struggling learners and those with disabilities.

Multitiered System of Supports for English Learners (MTSS for Els): This is a Model Demonstration Research Project sponsored by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education.

The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) provides technical assistance to improve and support the capacity of state systems and local programs to implement an early childhood multi-tiered system of support to improve the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children with and at risk for developmental disabilities or delays. This resource is entitled "Emergencies and National Disasters: Helping Children and Families Cope."

The National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) provides strategic technical assistance to help state education agencies (SEAs) refine infrastructure and engage stakeholders to transform systems in or to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and their families. This resource identifies key considerations for meeting students' needs and the evidence behind those ideas. Some of the evidence specifically discusses topics including culturally responsive teaching, English learners, and family engagement.

National Center on Intensive Interventions (NCII) provides technical assistance to build state and district capacity to train interventionists to effectively implement intensive interventions in ready, mathematics, and behavior in Grades k-12. NCII compiled a Resource List for supporting English Learners, a brief and a webinar on RTI for English Language Learners, and many more resources.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has resources related to psychological first aid and supporting displaced children and families as well as many resources on refugee trauma.

Social Emotional Needs of Afghan Refugees: Prepared by the Office of Student Services at the Virginia Department of Education, this presentation explores the effects of trauma on Afghan newcomers as well as offers resources to support students as they enter U.S. schools.

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Afghan Refugee Student and Family Resources

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Education and Afghan Newcomers: Keeping the Promise Webinar : The Office of English Language Acquisition in partnership with the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement hosted a webinar on January 24, 2022, to support Afghan newcomers in K-12 schools.

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Yes, We Could!! The Story Of How Latino Parents Revived Our School’s PTA

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Yes, We Could!! The Story Of How Latino Parents Revived Our School’s PTA

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Note: This post is a guest blog written by Bilingual Community Liaison Ingrid Montenegro of Fulton County Schools. Montenegro and SupportEd President Diane Staehr Fenner met at the Kennesaw State University 2018 ESOL Conference.
I am a Bilingual Community Liaison for Fulton County Schools in Georgia. My school, Lake Forest Elementary, is located in the heart of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Since the school first opened its doors in August 2008, more than 90% of its students have been of Mexican origin, mostly from the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. These regions of Mexico are among

the top five states with the highest poverty and illiteracy levels in the entire country. In this blog post, I'll share our story of how we turned around our Latino families' engagement and became a National PTA School of Excellence.

Challenges We Faced

Poverty, including lack of basic services such as healthcare and education, has characterized the lifestyle of most of the families of Lake Forest students for a long time. When they emigrated to the United States, they not only had to face the language barrier, but also the cultural change and the challenge of integrating themselves into a new way of life. They also had to integrate their children into the U.S. educational system, where parents are involved in the educational process (a difference from Mexico), and participate in decision making that directly impacts the quality of the services offered by the schools.

When it comes to invitations or calls to participate in organizations such as Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or School Governing Council, Latino parents tend to react with a high level of what seems like resistance, due to fear of not understanding or not speaking enough English. They also tend to feel a sense of incapacity. This leads to self-segregation, to the point of sabotaging their opportunity to take part or express themselves in meetings that involve leadership roles. Actions as simple as raising ideas or giving solutions to any problem are usually considered too risky for them. Even individuals who have lived in the United States for many years and who understand and speak English fluently may feel very insecure and even uncomfortable expressing their opinions. They may feel that they do not measure up due to their lack of education, or they may claim that their English is not good enough. Therefore, they may think that nothing they'd say will be taken into consideration.

How We Began

Although all the factors were against Lake Forest to create a Parent Teacher Association due to the lack of parental involvement at the time, the founding principal, against all predictions, laid the foundation for the first and incipient PTA. For the first five years, the board of directors consisted of one American[1] mother, one bilingual father, and teachers and staff members of the school, including me. After a while, the only two parents who had been part of the PTA resigned from their positions when they reached the maximum number of years that they could serve on the board of directors. On the staff side, the workload that was already heavy with the day to day functioning of an elementary school, coupled with PTA membership responsibility, made the cargo untenable.

[1] In the author's context, "American" indicates American-born and/or native English-speaking.

Our Next Steps

Already tired and frustrated at this point, I decided to take on the challenge of restructuring the PTA board of directors. I began by inviting some of the most active and uninhibited parent volunteers. More than an invitation, it was a desperate call and an ultimatum, "Either you (parents) take leadership positions on the PTA board, or the organization will have to close at Lake Forest." The response of each person at the beginning was mostly negative and pessimistic. They told me, "I do not know what to do, I will not be able to, I do not have time," and many more excuses. To convince them all, I promised that I would stay and work side by side with them. I told them that together we would learn everything we needed to make our organization work and grow. I started by offering leadership and protocol classes with the help of a Latino community leader. Little by little, with successes and failures, the pioneer Latino parents started organizing their first fundraising events and leading their own board meetings.

Where We Are Today

I can proudly say that after five years of hard work and continuous learning, last year our Lake Forest PTA was named a National PTA School of Excellence for the remarkably high level of parental involvement and the positive impact it was having on students and families. When I received the news about this distinction I felt very proud and accomplished. I never thought that we would get this far. The parents were so excited and said to each other, "Did you see what we are capable of doing?"

Why We Succeeded

We succeeded in inspiring and empowering those first five scared and highly unmotivated parents who believed that their ideas and voices would have no reach or power. Today, I give testimony to having on board twelve Latino parents who actively serve in leadership positions on the Lake Forest PTA Board. How did I do it? Well, I believe in perseverance, and I am certain that each individual has the ability and the right to develop their talents, regardless of their home language, social status, or schooling level. I also believe that barriers and paradigms can be broken down, inspired by the belief in a common good, and armed with only one tool: the knowledge that when there is a will, there is a way!

Our Job as Educators

Undocumented low-income Latino parents in the United States, like all parents in the world, want the best for their children, but sometimes they aren't aware of how education can be the key to getting out of poverty. They might be convinced that college is a difficult dream for their children to reach, and they tend to be paralyzed by the fear of their immigration status. Our job as educators is to give them the tools to empower them, to teach them how to participate actively in their children's education, and to instill in them the certainty that there is no one with more influence to inspire and motivate their children than themselves. After all, parents are our first teachers in life.

Author Bio: My name is Ingrid Montenegro. I was born, raised, and educated in Venezuela, and I became a citizen of the United States in 2015. I am the first college graduate in my family and my bachelor's degree is in Business Administration. I am a mother of a 14-year-old young man, and Atlanta has been my home for the past 23 years. I have worked as the Bilingual Community Liaison for Fulton County Schools since 2009. I also work part-time as a Parent Liaison for two non-profit organizations (La Amistad and Horizons) that academically support Latino and other minority children. I love my job and getting the resources to support children's education in my community is my passion. You can connect with me on Twitter at @montenegrofcs or by email at Montenegro@fultonschools.org.

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Yes, We Could!! The Story of How Latino Parents Revived Our School's PTA

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Discover effective learning techniques for adults with SupportEd. Explore the inspiring story of how Latino parents revived their school's PTA.

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Immigrant and Refugee Parent Perspectives 

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Immigrant and Refugee Parent Perspectives 

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Amanda Marie Shufflebarger Snell

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Colorín Colorado

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English language learners (ELLs) benefit just as much from their parents' involvement in their education as other students. Some Hispanic parents may feel apprehensive about getting involved because of their limited English skills, lack of familiarity with mainstream culture and the public school system in the United States, and other reasons. Below are some ways to reach out to parents of ELLs and increase the likelihood of their participation.

Use their preferred language

This is an essential place to start. Without a common language, very little communication can take place. Here are some ways to build an ongoing relationship with parents by reaching out through their native language.

Find a fully bilingual interpreter.

Whether a school employee, parent liaison, family member, friend, or community member, this person can translate for parent-teacher conferences, back-to-school nights, PTA meetings, and regular communication. It is best to find an adult and not rely on the student as the translator, as this practice can disempower the parent.

Translate the written communications that you send home.

Find a way to send home personal notes and materials in Spanish. This will keep parents in the loop on issues such as report cards, school events, and homework. Try to offer complete translations in a straightforward Spanish that parents can understand.

Learn some Spanish yourself.

Even if it is just some common words and greetings, using Spanish with parents will make them feel welcome. For starters, here are a few common classroom words and phrases in Spanish.

Put parents in touch with bilingual staff.

Give parents a list of names and phone numbers of bilingual staff in the school and district who they can contact to deal with educational concerns. Also encourage them to reach out to other parents who are bilingual or monolingual so they can share experiences and help one another.

Educate parents on the U.S. school system

To support their children's education, the parents of your ELL students need to understand how the U.S. school system and culture work. Listen to parents' concerns, answer their questions, and provide them with written materials in Spanish. Make sure that they understand things like:

How your school works

If necessary, review school hours, school holidays, school rules, school trajectory from pre-kindergarten through high school, and the school's administrative hierarchy.

Your school curriculum, standards, benchmarks, and materials

Consider that in many Latin American countries, the curriculum is very centralized. There is often one set of books. Uniforms are usually required. And rules tend to be the same for all schools across an entire country.

Teacher/school expectations

Explain that teachers hope and expect that parents will help with homework, find tutors, read books, tell stories, take their children to the library, visit the classroom, and become involved in the school.

Parent rights

Make certain that your ELL parents know about their rights regarding access to interpreters and translated materials from your school, free lunch programs, your school's ELL curriculum, supplementary school services that may be available to their children, and anything else that parents at your school have a right to know. If your school receives federal funds, provide information on the No Child Left Behind requirements of schools and the rights of parents. Learn about parents' rights.

Language programs

Work in collaboration with your school social service worker or guidance counselor, and explain the different language program options that your school has, why they work the way they do, and why the chosen program may be most suitable for their children. If parents have doubts, discuss their options and invite them to visit and observe the class.

Arrange home and community visits

Visiting homes and communities is a way to establish a relationship with parents who are working during school and after-school hours or who may feel intimidated by the school setting. Before doing this, however, make sure that parents are receptive to the idea and that your school district and union allow home visits by teachers.

It is often easier to resolve difficult issues face to face as opposed to over the telephone or through written communication. This way, you and the parents can anticipate problems and agree on how to solve them. When organizing home and community visits, try to:

Arrange for an interpreter to be present.

Respect the family's time constraints and choice of location - whether in the home, church, or community center.

Point out ways they can help with their child's language development, reading skills, and homework.

Welcome parents into your school

Here are some ways to involve Hispanic parents at school:

Host a Spanish-language back-to-school night

Host an evening event at the beginning of the school year for Spanish-speaking parents. Make sure ahead of time that a good interpreter will be in attendance. For this important first meeting, try to accommodate parents' requests for scheduling, transportation, and child care. Take this time to get to know them, communicate your expectations, and answer questions. Also find out the best way to maintain regular communication with each of these parents.

Arrange for a "tour" of the school

Within the first semester, organize a general school orientation session for parents of English language learners. With a bilingual facilitator, explain and answer any questions about things such as state standards, assessments, school expectations, language program options, etc. It would be helpful to actually walk parents around the school and introduce them to key people on staff. Some states, districts, and schools already do this.

Benefits of reaching out

Watch children's author and literacy advocate Pat Mora discuss the benefits to reaching out to Spanish-speaking parents.

This video is also available on YouTube.

Recruit volunteers

If parents are willing to volunteer their time, find out what their interests and skills are. ELL parents may be able to help with a variety of activities, such as cooking food for school-wide holidays, telling stories, teaching a dance, teaching a craft, or making a presentation.

Adult learning opportunities

Immigrant families may be unaware of the opportunities available to them. Another way to reach out to parents is to make them aware of learning opportunities for themselves. Somewhere in your community there are likely to be English and/or native language literacy classes for adults, family literacy projects, and parenting classes.

If your school has not compiled a list of these resources, ask your school administrators to do so. They should call your school district, city, county, library, park and recreation center, community college, and community-based organizations. Be sure to verify that families are eligible to receive the services offered regardless of immigration status. To be most effective, this list should be made available in Spanish and English and updated regularly.

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English language learners (ELLs) benefit just as much from their parents' involvement in their education as other students. Some Hispanic parents may feel apprehensive about getting involved because of their limited English skills, lack of familiarity with mainstream culture and the public school system in the United States, and other reasons.

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Engaging the families of English learners in classrooms, schools, and communities

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Engaging the families of English learners in classrooms, schools, and communities

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TESOL Press

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Office of the Education Ombudsman

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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Breiseth, Robertson, & Lafond, 2015

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It is critical for schools to understand the rights that English language learners (ELLs), immigrant students, and their families have regarding access to schooling and information in their home languages. Learn more about those rights below, as well as some best practices for not only meeting those obligations but building positive partnerships with ELL families in support of their children.

Supporting immigrant families

For related ideas, see the following:

6. Find ways to communicate with ELL parents

Note: ELL families are legally entitled to information about their child's schooling (including enrollment, parent-conference meetings, and any services the school provides, such as ESL or special education) in a language they understand. See more about those rights in the following:

A. What you need to know

One of the greatest challenges for schools and ELL parents is communicating with each other. While educators may feel frustrated that they can't get their message across to parents, parents may be just as frustrated that they can't communicate easily with the school and their child's teacher. Like your other parents, however, ELL parents want to know what's happening with their child. Two important pieces of this puzzle include:

A reliable translation process: In Supporting English Language Learners: A Guide for Teachers and Administrators, Farin A. Houk underscores the importance of establishing two-way communication on both sides, as well as the necessity for a translation process that is "formal, steady, and reliable" (64). What does not work, she says, is sending notes home in English, talking slower or louder, using students to translate, or asking a friend or relative to translate confidential or detailed information. She also underscores the importance of having options for families with limited literacy skills (65-66).

Phone calls: Offer staff training on communicating in simplified English on the phone. Monolingual staff may be reluctant to call the homes of bilingual students because "they won't be able to understand anyway." As a result, the bilingual staff members are frequently called upon to stop what they are doing to translate. With some guidance, however, teachers can learn how to communicate basic information through a simplified conversation or message.

B. Reflection

How would you describe the communication at your school with ELL parents? Have you had some success stories? Have you explored all of your available options? Are you familiar with applicable local, state, and federal regulations regarding translations and parent access to information?

C. Strategies

In order to improve school-home communication, Houk suggests:

Hiring, when possible, staff that matches the linguistic needs of your population

Developing an ongoing relationship with community organizations

Scheduling home-school communication time into the school day for e-mails or phone calls

Using parent phone trees (65-66).

In addition:

Find out what the applicable regulations are that relate to parent communication.

Find out what translation and interpreting resources are available in your district.

Use school staff to help interpret on a rotating or scheduled basis so that the same individuals aren't frequently pulled away from other duties.

Ask parents how they prefer to receive communication (phone, e-mail, text message, etc.).

Ask parents which language they prefer - it may be English.

Inform parents that they can bring an interpreter to the school or that one can be provided.

Avoid using translation websites, which are imprecise and often inaccurate.

Notes: You may have parents with strong bilingual skills that can assist in translating school forms or interpreting. If you do plan on using these parents, however, offer training, provide a list of translated terms, give them enough time to complete the translation, and have other native speakers review written translations (Rodriguez, 48). This is critical because school terms can be complicated and easily misrepresented, especially when translated into varying dialects of the same language.

D. Examples

One educator shares the creative way she used an automated voice message: "Over the entire Christmas holidays, parents heard my recorded voice remind them of the financial aid workshops. That proved very helpful...They just need those reminders. They want our students to go to college, but sometimes that fear about the ability to pay is overwhelming" (Alford and Niño, 88).

The Bilingual PreK-3 Teacher Education Program, a federally-funded grant administered through Pacific Oaks College Northwest, was created to increase the number of certified educators from ELL/minority communities teaching in the public schools. One way they accomplish this mission is by helping talented early bilingual childhood educators in the local preschool programs fulfill the necessary requirements to become certified (Houk, 33-34).

Related resources

7. Make the enrollment process manageable for ELL parents

Note: All students have the right to a free, public K-12 education, regardless of their immigration status or that of their parents. This includes access to services and programs such as free- and reduced-priced meals, English-language development classes, special education, and school activities.

Schools are not permitted to (a) ask about immigration status for purposes of enrollment or (b) ask any questions that would dissuade immigrant students or families from enrolling or have any kind of chilling effect.

See our related guide on supporting immigrant students for more information on:

A. What you need to know

School enrollment is a complicated process for any family. There are forms to be filled out, decisions to be made, policies to be read, programs to learn about, and questions to be answered. For ELL families, a number of other obstacles can arise:

There is no interpreter available.

Parents are unaware of services (such as free- and reduced-lunch) for which they qualify.

They don't understand how bussing works.

They are confused about their rights and their children's rights.

They are reluctant to show any form of identification.

In addition, your ELL families may be coming from:

A school system very different from the U.S. system

A situation with a lot of mobility (as in the case of migrant students)

A situation without any schooling at all (such as a refugee camp).

Yet regardless of how it's done, ELL parents must have access to the same information as non-ELL parents. Sending information home in English will not ensure that it is read and understood. Getting this information doesn't just help the school operate more smoothly - it can make a critical difference in keeping children healthy and safe.

Whether through translated forms or an interpreter, ELL parents need to know about the basics, such as:

Enrollment procedures

The school schedule

Their child's schedule

Attendance policies and procedures for absences

Bussing and transportation

How breakfast and lunch work (such as lunch accounts, codes, or policies)

Free- and reduced-lunch options

Holidays and school closures

Weather delays

Procedures for alerting the school to their child's medical conditions, medication, and allergies.

ELL also parents need information about their child's academic program, such as:

Their child's classes and who their child's teachers are

The school grading system and report cards

Assessments (classroom and standardized)

Parent conferences

Information about the English-language program and placement procedures (121)

Special services, such as gifted programs or special education as needed

Homework help and resources

The school library

Clubs, sports, and extra-curricular activities.

Finally, Debbie Zacarian underscores the importance of sharing information about the following in her book, Transforming Schools for English Language Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders:

Student and parent rights

Emergency contact cards and procedures

The student handbook and code of conduct (121).

Additional topics are included in the article Helping ELL Newcomers: Things Your Students Need to Know, an excerpt from The More-Than-Just-Surviving Handbook: ESL for Every Classroom Teacher (3rd edition) by Barbara Law and Mary Eckes.

B. Reflection

Think through your enrollment process step by step. How does it work for ELL families? Do parents get all of the information they need? What might be some possible obstacles to that process? Which steps do you think need improvement?

C. Strategies

There are a number of ways to approach the enrollment process for ELL families, including:

Bilingual staff: When possible, hire bilingual staff to work in the main office.

Translated forms: Many of the more general forms are available in other languages from the state education sites, and there may already be some translations available through your district.

Enrollment night: Schedule an "enrollment night" in which families can learn about the enrollment process and school policies with interpreters on hand.

School liaisons: Assign each family a school contact who speaks their language and guides them through the enrollment process (Houk, 66).

Welcome centers: Having a centralized ELL welcome/intake center managed by bilingual staff may help streamline enrollment and placement procedures.

Welcome kits: Put together a "welcome kit" that includes key information, basic school supplies, and educational activities for your ELL families.

Technology: Consider offering translations of your forms online, such as these from Los Angeles Unified School District, or an automated enrollment form in multiple languages.

D. Example

In the article Lessons Learned from Immigrant Families, Young-Chan Han of the Maryland Department of Education shares the story of a young boy from El Salvador who waited outside the locked school on a cold January morning for an hour until the janitor let him in. It was his first day, and it happened to be the morning of a snow delay.

Video: A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front office

8. Make the enrollment process accessible all year long

A. What you need to know

Keep in mind that your school must be ready to enroll ELLs throughout the school year. Many schools are prepared for enrollment only at the beginning of the year, and anyone who registers after that gets a short-cut "fill and drill," especially if no interpreters are available. Staff may be pulled from their regular duties to translate and help families fill out forms; this is not an acceptable solution.

B. Reflection

How does the experience of a new student enrolling at the beginning of the year compare with a student enrolling in November? January? March? How does it compare for ELLs?

C. Strategies

Ask the staff involved in ELL student enrollment (including the main office staff and the ELL/bilingual departments) for ideas on how the school can make the enrollment process welcoming and accessible all year long.

Make sure all of the information available for parents and staff at the beginning of the year is accessible throughout the year.

Ask parents who enrolled their children after the beginning of previous school years what their experience was like and what could have been improved through a survey or questionnaire.

D. Example

Kristina Roberston shares a creative approach that her school employed in order to limit the impact of new student enrollment on lost classroom time. This involved training paraprofessionals who could be pulled more easily from support work to help enrolling families. The paraprofessionals received training on the packet of information that parents received, and this allowed the school to have more than one person available to assist new families. The school also set up regular testing times after school when teachers would be available, even if a student had already begun classes.

9. Provide opportunities for parents to learn more about important topics and skills

A. What you need to know

For parents who are not familiar with the U.S. educational system, there is a lot to learn - and it's pretty complicated! If your ELL families aren't "involved" in activities and events, one reason may be that they need more background information about our school system in a language they understand.

B. Reflection

Let's return to the hypothetical new country where you are preparing to enroll your child. Imagine that you are handed a thick booklet with information about standardized testing, grading systems, and college applications written a language you don't understand. Where would you begin in order to help your child?

C. Strategies

Whenever possible, offer parents the opportunity to attend workshops in their native language about complex topics such as:

The U.S. school system (The AFTs' bilingual Pathways to Success brochure, also available in Spanish, is a helpful guide.)

Information on how to check school websites to track their child's progress

Parent-teacher conferences

Standardized testing

Gifted programs

Special education services for speech, hearing, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, etc.

The college application process

Information on the benefits of reading at home (Start with Colorín Colorado's reading tips in 11 languages and family literacy outreach toolkit).

Note: Consider enlisting other staff members, parents, volunteers, or community partners to help organize and run these workshops.

D. Examples

At Greenfield Elementary School, ELL parents participate in an ESL class which teaches computer skills in addition to basic English skills. Parents write a bilingual cookbook of recipes as a final project, and each week they attend a potluck dinner together. Children work on their homework with high school volunteers while their parents are in class (Fugate, 50).

A local educator decided to hold a Spanish-language information session about college enrollment at a local church. The meeting was listed in the newspaper, announced at the church, and publicized through personal outreach. The organizer had planned for about twenty parents; instead, more than eighty attended (Alford & Niño, 83).

Another educator at a different school helped organize a "Math Power Path Night," in which class projects were arranged along a guided path so that parents could see the sequence of recommended math classes that their children should take. The principal had expected fifty parents; more than two hundred came (83)!

Related resources

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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It is critical for schools to understand the rights that English language learners (ELLs), immigrant students, and their families have regarding access to schooling and information in their home languages. Learn more about those rights below, as well as some best practices for not only meeting those obligations but building positive partnerships with ELL families in support of their children.

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Tips for Connecting with Non-English Speaking Parents

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Tips for Connecting with Non-English Speaking Parents

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Gonzalez, 2015

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American schools are becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse. While many students quickly attain proficiency in English, there's often a language barrier when communicating with parents. As an ESL teacher, overcoming language and cultural barriers have become part of my job description. Although I'm fortunate to be fluent and literate in Spanish, many of my students and their families are not Spanish speaking, so I find myself in the same predicament as many regular education teachers when having to communicate with non-English-speaking parents.

While Spanish may be the most common home language of many multilingual students, there are pockets of the country where other languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Hmong, Haitian Creole, and Arabic are widely spoken. Perhaps you have a Spanish-speaking staff member on your campus to assist with parent meetings, but if a family speaks another foreign language, you may be in a bind. Conversely, some families are indeed English speaking, and while their accents may be heavy, English is their language of choice, so communication may be challenging. Despite any language barriers, it behooves us to reach out to those of different languages and cultures so they feel welcome and comfortable in our schools.

Here are some tips to help teachers connect with these families:

1. Listen and learn. Ask questions, read, and take the time to learn about their language and heritage. Avoid stereotypes at all cost. Whether you have a predominantly Hispanic, Asian, Arab, or European student population, ethnic groups come in all colors, shapes, and sizes-not to mention dialects and religious backgrounds. Don't assume anything. People within the same ethnic group, and often from the same country, will eat different foods, speak different languages, and celebrate different holidays.

Here are some examples of common assumptions that can land you in a tight spot:

When offering a Hispanic heritage night, don't just serve tacos, unless you're expecting a predominantly Mexican audience (and even then you might want to offer a more nuanced menu). Many non-Mexican Hispanics are highly offended when folks assume they are Mexican. I know a Colombian parent who walked out on a Spanish night presentation because, according to her, "everything was Mexican." While the majority of Hispanics in the United States are indeed Mexican, Hispanics represent numerous different countries. In my case, I'm Cuban and grew up in Miami. I didn't meet a Mexican until I went to Cancun on vacation with my parents.

If you have a large Indian student population, remember there are 15 official languages and countless other unofficial languages in India. Indians from different regions will not be able to communicate with each other unless they both speak English. Furthermore, although English is actually India's common official language, it is very different from American English. While it's likely you can communicate in English, it's safe to expect some communication breakdown.

If many of your parents are Asian, be sure to know more specific information about their countries and regions. And please don't assume that Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese can understand each other. Their languages and physical characteristics may seem very similar, but these groups are vastly different, both culturally and linguistically.

2. Use technology. Professional translators aren't always available at schools, but Google Translate is. It isn't perfect, but it works fairly well. If you use Remind, you can copy/paste the translation into your messages so parents receive them in their native language. I set up a Remind group in Spanish, not only to send messages about my class, but also to translate school calls on important topics such as report cards or snow days. Remind also recently released its Translate feature in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and German. For users who set up the app in one of those languages, a translation button will appear when they receive messages in English. By simply tapping a button, messages will be instantly translated into the requested language. If you need translation into any other language, Remind's private chat feature allows you to send translated messages to someone, by simply copying and pasting from Google Translate. Class Dojo also recently released a Translate feature enabling translation into 30 different languages. While I'm not currently a Class Dojo user, some of my children's teachers have used it in the past, and I found it to be an excellent tool.

3. Use standard English. Some parents' English is broken, but they will be able to understand the gist of the message if you speak slowly and avoid slang, idioms, and analogies. Ask for their "two-cents" and they may hand you some change instead of giving you their input. Likewise, an analogy may help a native English speaker more clearly understand a teaching strategy or approach, but to a non-English speaker, it may be completely confusing.

4. Smiles are understood by all. Care and compassion have no language. A warm and friendly demeanor will express much more than words. When parents sense you are genuinely concerned about their son or daughter, they will connect with you and it will improve their child's school experience.

5. Stay connected. Reaching out to parents is not a once-a-year thing. We need to stay in touch all year long. Connecting with parents helps develop a valuable partnership that will undoubtedly benefit the student in the classroom. All parents want their children to learn. My parents never quite mastered the English language, so they couldn't help me with my homework, but they held me accountable and pushed me to achieve more than they ever could. They understood the value of education and highly respected my teachers. I find that most families are not very different from my parents. They all want their children to thrive. Staying connected can help parents feel like part of this valued process.

Use some of the technology tools mentioned above. Weekly Remind or Class Dojo messages keep parents abreast of what's happening in the classroom and can also give you a chance to brag a little.

6. Push politics aside. Our students' birthplace or immigration status is irrelevant. They are entitled to an education, and it is our job to serve them well. Reaching out to parents will not only generate their support, but will likely increase academic achievement. After all, we want well-behaved, high-achieving students, not dropouts roaming the streets.

As a former English-language learner who entered kindergarten without speaking a word of English, I understood the language acquisition process well before taking my first language-education course. My personal experiences have made me keenly aware of how to best reach out to parents. One thing is for certain. Parents want to know that their child is cared for and valued while at school and that you are not only their teacher, but also their ally. Cultural and linguistic barriers are undoubtedly challenging, but they are not impossible to overcome.

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Tips for Connecting With Non-English-Speaking Parents (Opinion)

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Teachers can play a big role in helping families of diverse languages and cultures feel welcome and comfortable in schools, writes Anabel Gonzalez.

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Mexican American Legal Defense Fund & NEA, 2010

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Parent–School Engagement in a Public Elementary School in Southern Arizona: Immigrant and Refugee Parent Perspectives

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Parent–School Engagement in a Public Elementary School in Southern Arizona: Immigrant and Refugee Parent Perspectives

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Amanda Marie Shufflebarger Snell

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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With the support of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), we offer tools and materials, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance on resettlement-related topics. Learn more →

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With the support of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), we offer tools and materials, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance on resettlement-related topics. Learn more →

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Adjusting to Life & Work in the U.S. - Perspectives from Refugee Youth

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Adjusting to Life & Work in the U.S. - Perspectives from Refugee Youth

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Adjusting to Life & Work in the U.S. - Perspectives from Refugee Youth

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Community Walks Create Bonds of Understanding

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Community Walks Create Bonds of Understanding

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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To see real improvements in student learning, use the summer months to build good school–family relationships.

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In September 2015, 5-year-old Sophie Cruz slipped past security as Pope Francis rode through the streets of Washington, D.C. Sophie, a U.S. citizen who is the child of undocumented immigrants, passed

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Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners

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Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners

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Performance on national assessments and on-time graduation rates

Introduction

This data story presents the most recent data on EL academic proficiency for states and selected urban school districts. It also provides state-level EL high school graduation rates and insights into changes in EL graduation and proficiency rates over time. When interpreting differences across states and between grade levels, readers should keep in mind that states vary in their criteria for which EL students are included in this reporting and in the accommodations provided for EL test takers. These differences can affect outcomes. ⁴ Additionally, it is important to remember that the EL population is dynamic: Students who attain English proficiency are reclassified as non-EL, and those who remain classified as EL over time are more likely to be low-performing. ⁵

The charts are interactive. Hover over or click on chart elements to learn more about specific data points, and where they appear; use buttons to filter charts by grade.

Proficiency on Educational Assessments

At least once every two years since 2003, samples of fourth- and eighth-grade students from across the nation take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading and mathematics. The assessments are administered the same way across the nation and use the same test booklets. Thus, NAEP results provide a common measure of performance across states and a set of urban districts. Nationally, 14 percent of ELs in grade 4 were at or above proficient in mathematics and 9 percent were at or above proficient in reading on the 2017 NAEP. b, 6 A smaller percentage of ELs were at or above proficient in reading and mathematics in grade 8. For each grade and subject, ELs were far behind the proficiency rates of non-ELs. For example, while one-third of non-ELs were proficient in mathematics in grade 8, just 6 percent of ELs attained this level. Although EL performance on NAEP mathematics and reading assessments has improved overall since 2000, more recent years have shown little change for ELs and non-ELs alike. ⁷

The analyses below use state-level NAEP assessment data to show changes in EL proficiency rates in grade 4 and 8 mathematics and reading since 2009. Additional analyses present EL proficiency rates in reading and mathematics in the 27 school districts that participated in NAEP's Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) in 2017. Since the percentage of ELs is generally higher in urban districts, analyzing the proficiency rates in these districts may provide insights into the performance of ELs in districts with higher concentrations of ELs. ⁸ Note that the number of urban districts invited to voluntarily participate in the TUDA assessment has changed over time.

NAEP provides a common academic metric across states and a set of urban school districts; however, interpreting EL performance differences across states is complex, and comparisons should be made with caution. State inclusion criteria and testing accommodations for ELs vary. ⁹ In addition, NAEP EL proficiency data were not available for a number of states. In these states the sample of tested EL students was too small to produce statistically reliable estimates and therefore reflects a "reporting standards not met." States that did not meet NAEP reporting standards in one or both years examined (2009 and 2017) are classified in this data story as "Change not available." c

Change in proficiency rates over time

At the national level, there were small increases in the percentage of ELs reaching proficiency in grade 4 and grade 8 mathematics between 2009 and 2017. This percentage increased by 2 percentage points in grade 4 mathematics (from 12 to 14 percent) and by 1 percentage point in grade 8 mathematics (from 5 to 6 percent). ¹⁰ However, the state-level data reveal considerable variation in changes in EL proficiency rates in mathematics over time. For example, 14 states saw a sizeable decrease (more than 5 percentage points) in the percentage of ELs proficient in grade 4 mathematics. Among these states, five states experienced a decrease of more than 10 percentage points, with Kentucky experiencing the largest decrease (-16.5 percentage points). Four states saw the percentage of ELs who were proficient increase by at least 5 percentage points, with Indiana experiencing the largest increase (11.7 percentage points).

EL proficiency rates in grade 8 mathematics over time were available for fewer states. While 10 states experienced essentially no change (a change between plus or minus 1 percentage point), five states experienced a sizeable decrease. Indiana experienced an increase of more than 5 percentage points.

Similar to mathematics, the percentage of ELs proficient in grade 4 and grade 8 reading increased somewhat over time when looking at the nation as a whole, but there was more variation by state. Overall, the percentage of ELs proficient in reading rose by 3 percentage points in grade 4 (from 6 percent to 9 percent) and by 2 percentage points in grade 8 (from 3 percent to 5 percent). ¹¹

However, in contrast to mathematics, fewer states experienced a sizeable decrease (more than 5 percentage points) in grade 4 reading (four states compared with 14 in mathematics). As in mathematics, four states saw an increase of more than 5 percentage points in grade 4 reading, with Ohio experiencing the largest gain of 16.5 percentage points.

About half the states had available grade 8 reading data for 2009 and 2017. Only Virginia experienced a sizeable decrease, and two states experienced an increase of more than 5 percentage points, including Kansas, which had the largest increase of 11 percent.

Proficiency rates by district

The four urban districts in Texas (Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Fort Worth) had more than 20 percent of ELs proficient in grade 4 mathematics in 2017. The EL proficiency rates for these districts were far above the national percentage of 14 percent. Boston, Miami Dade, and Hillsborough County (Florida) also had higher EL proficiency rates than the national rate. d As with the state-level data, urban district EL proficiency rates in grade 8 mathematics were lower than in grade 4. Of the two districts that exceeded the national EL proficiency rate in grade 8 mathematics, only Dallas had more than 10 percent of ELs who were proficient.

Nationally, the EL proficiency rate in grade 4 reading (9 percent) was lower than in mathematics (14 percent).With few exceptions, this was also true for each urban district that participated in the NAEP TUDA in 2017. Seven districts had a fourth-grade EL proficiency rate in reading greater than the national rate (Boston, Austin, Fort Worth, Denver, San Diego, Dallas, and Cleveland). Four districts had an eighth-grade EL proficiency rate in reading above the national rate (Detroit, Dallas, Denver, and Hillsborough County).

Graduation Rates

In 2015-16, 84 percent of students nationwide graduated from high school on time (in four years, and accounting for transfers a). For ELs the rate was 67 percent, up from 57 percent in 2010-11, but well below the rate for non-ELs (85 percent). ¹² This difference in the graduation rates is especially concerning because we know that those without a high school diploma experience lower earnings and higher unemployment than those with a diploma.

The analyses below use four-year cohort graduation rate data to examine the rate at which ELs graduated from high school within four years compared with their non-EL peers, and how the graduation rate for ELs has changed over time. Because graduation requirements differ across states and states use different inclusion criteria for their EL cohorts, differences in graduation rates should be interpreted with caution.

In 2015-16, there were six states in which less than half of ELs graduated from high school on time. In these states, the EL graduation rate was between 34 and 48 percentage points lower than the graduation rate for non-ELs. Overall, state EL graduation rates varied from a low of 32 percent (Arizona) to a high of 93 percent (West Virginia).

Nationally, the EL graduation rate increased 10 percentage points from 2010-11 to 2015-16. In 31 states, the graduation rate of ELs was at least 5 points higher in 2015-16 than in 2010-11. In California and Texas - the two states with the largest EL populations - the graduation rate increased by more than 10 percentage points.

Wrap Up

Proficiency in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics is a key indicator that students are learning what is expected at their grade level. A high school diploma demonstrates students' readiness for postsecondary activities and can lead to more successful employment outcomes than without a diploma. ¹³ While ELs have experienced some small gains in reading and mathematics proficiency nationally as well as increases in on-time high school graduation rates, their performance still lags far behind their non-EL peers.

This story map suggests that national gains in proficiency and graduation rates for ELs smooth out state-level variations. For example, about the same number of states experienced an increase as experienced a decrease in EL proficiency rates in grade 4 reading. Also, while many states experienced an increase in graduation rates from 2010-11 to 2015-16, the increase was not always in a straight line.

Moreover, drawing conclusions about EL performance only from national trends may misrepresent what is happening at the district level. Data from selected urban districts suggested wide variation in EL proficiency rates, with ELs in some districts performing at rates considerably higher or lower than the national rate.

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Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners

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This story map presents the most recent data on EL proficiency for states and selected urban school districts. It also provides state-level EL high school graduation rates and insights into changes in EL graduation and proficiency rates over time.

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Students with Interrupted Formal Education

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Students with Interrupted Formal Education

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Students with interrupted formal education, also known by the acronym SIFE, are a relatively small proportion of recently arrived English language learners (ELLs), probably somewhere between 10 and 20 percent. ¹ However, these students often represent the most challenging of our ELLs because of their limited first-language literacy skills, frequent gaps in academic knowledge and skills, and, sometimes, critical social and emotional needs. Also, many tend to arrive unaccompanied as teenagers, making their need to catch up academically even more urgent.

Educators and other professionals who have the responsibility and privilege of getting to know these students, and who will be helping them to reach their full potential, need to have an understanding of where these students have been and why they may have certain gaps in their academic knowledge. Such an understanding will build empathy for these students, and it can also help classroom teachers discover the most effective methodologies and materials that will bridge the gap between what SIFE already know and can do, and what they will be expected to be able to do in their new academic setting. Since most ELLs spend the majority of their school day in mainstream classrooms, we hope that all teachers will see the value in knowing more about the background of their students and how their previous educational experiences (or lack thereof) impact their ability to perform on a daily basis.

So, who are these students, and where are they coming from?

The highest percentage of SIFE in the United States comes from Latin America, mainly Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Refugee children make up the second highest number, with students from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Other smaller groups are composed of immigrant children from countries where schools were poorly equipped, teachers were inadequately trained, or school was not accessible due to geography, economics, or religion.

Characteristics of SIFE

What specifically defines students with interrupted formal education and sets them apart from a "typical" English language learner? One list created by researchers ² states that these students:

Are overage for their grade-level placement due to their weak academic skills and limited or inadequate formal schooling;

Have needs that traditional ESL (English as a second language) and bilingual programs can't or don't meet;

Have low or sometimes even no literacy skills in their first language and/or in English, and have little academic content-area knowledge;

Are socially and psychologically isolated from mainstream students;

Need approaches and materials that will help them catch up to and compete with mainstream students; and

Are at risk of failing or dropping out of traditional academic programs.

The final bullet point, the higher dropout rate of SIFE, is especially disturbing. Richard Fry, of the Pew Research Center, estimates that about 70 percent of immigrants with interrupted schooling drop out of high school! ³ Why are we seeing this huge number? One strong possibility is that the support these students are currently receiving is not adequate to meet their needs.

In addition to the dropout rate, there is another possibility that many of these young people never bother to enroll in school at all. While our book, Students with Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need, from which this article is excerpted, looks at what educators can do to provide assistance and support for the students who enter our classrooms, a larger societal issue is the number of students who choose work over school, as Fry notes:
The dropout rate for teens with school problems before migration is in excess of 70 percent, in comparison with 8 percent for other foreign-born youths. And their characteristics, especially for males, suggest that many of them are labor migrants. Their purpose in migrating was probably to seek employment in the labor market, and they may have never enrolled in U.S. schools. Recently arrived males who did not make adequate school progress before migration are twice as likely to be working as other foreign-born males, and nearly 40 percent of them are in the agriculture and construction industries, in comparison with 10 percent of other foreign-born youths. In contrast to the living arrangements of other foreign-born youths, the majority of recent arrivals with prior school problems do not reside with any parent in the household. Given their participation in the labor market and the degree to which they were behind in school, the prospects of enrolling these youths in traditional high school settings appear to be remote.⁴
Unfortunately, the programming designed for ELLs with academic skills and first-language literacy, as well as for the students who have been in Western schools for most if not all of their education, is not sufficient for most students with interrupted schooling. The gap between what students are expected to be able to do and the skill set that students have at their disposal is often too great, and students frequently give up.

Students with interrupted education need specialized programming and assistance, above and beyond what is normally provided to ELLs. This belief is supported in a recent statement from WIDA (a consortium of 40 states whose education departments have joined together to develop English proficiency standards and assessments)* about SIFE: "Students with this background often need their emotional, psychological, and physiological needs to be met before they are able to engage fully in the educational setting." ⁵ Once these needs are met, schools must help students build literacy skills in their home language and English, fill in the gaps in content knowledge, and support their social and emotional needs.

The Council of Chief State School Officers ⁶ created this list of supports it recommends for secondary school newcomers (including those with interrupted education):

1. Build environments that respond to the immediate social, cultural, and linguistic needs of immigrant adolescents with limited schooling.

2. Create structures that transcend high school academic departmental divisions to support simultaneous linguistic and academic development.

3. Form newcomer centers to ease transitions for newly immigrated students.

4. Implement flexible scheduling to reflect real needs and obligations of high school immigrants.

5. Align high school programs with higher education and adult education.

6. Use the full resources of the community to support immigrant students.

Identification of SIFE

One of the challenges of working with students with interrupted education is simply identification. Many school districts don't keep track of how much education students have received in their home country and their level of first-language literacy. Even when schools do ask, the answers are not always as helpful as it is assumed they would be. First of all, parents may state that their children have six or eight years of schooling, but attendance may have been sporadic; they may have attended one-room schoolhouses with poorly trained teachers; or school may have only been for a few hours a day.

Sometimes, the parents do not want to admit that their child was not in school regularly out of fear that they may not be permitted to enroll. They may not want to admit that the child was not able to attend because of the inability to pay for required books or uniforms, or that the child stayed home regularly to provide needed income for the family. In some countries, children with learning issues are not able to be provided for in a regular school setting, and the child simply stays home. To guarantee that their child will be admitted to the new school, certain facts are not disclosed, or the parents may not realize how schooling is different in their new setting.

As some researchers have written, "Gaps in school attendance are often due to sensitive matters; parents/guardians may be embarrassed, distressed, or feel threatened if they sense in any way that they are being censured or blamed for the lack of complete [and accurate] school records or their children's incomplete prior educational experiences." ⁷

However, it is important that schools collect as much data as possible about each student and share that information with the classroom teacher. As long as schools are unable to collect accurate knowledge of previous literacy and content instruction, matching students with the best instructional program will remain an elusive goal.

Brenda Custodio is an independent education consultant who prepares pre-service and in-service teachers at Ohio State University to work in second language classrooms, and is a former middle and high school English as a second language (ESL) teacher. Judith B. O'Loughlin is an independent education consultant, a former trainer of pre-service educators at New Jersey City University, and a former English, ESL, and special education teacher. This article is excerpted with permission from their book, Students with Interrupted Formal Education: Bridging Where They Are and What They Need. Copyright 2017, Corwin. All rights reserved.

*For more on WIDA, visit https://wida.wisc.edu. ( return to article)
†For more on building ELLs' literacy skills, see "Educating English Language Learners" in the Fall 2018 issue of American Educator, available at www.aft.org/ae/fall2018/august. ( return to article)

Endnotes

1. Advocates for Children of New York, Students with Interrupted Formal Education: A Challenge for New York City Public Schools (New York: 2010); and J. Ruiz-de-Velasco and M. Fix, Overlooked and Underserved: Immigrant Students in U.S. Secondary Schools (Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2000).
2. Y. Freeman and D. Freeman, Closing the Achievement Gap: How to Reach Limited-Formal-Schooling and Long-Term English Learners (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2002), 33.
3. R. Fry, The Higher Drop-Out Rate of Foreign-Born Teens: The Role of Schooling Abroad (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2005).
4. Fry, The Higher Drop-Out Rate, 1.
5. WIDA Consortium, Focus on SLIFE: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (Madison, WI: 2015), 2.
6. Council of Chief State School Officers, Immigrant Students and Secondary School Reform: Compendium of Best Practices (Washington, DC: 2004), 11.
7. A. DeCapua, W. Smathers, and L. Tang, Meeting the Needs of Students with Limited or Interrupted Schooling (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 2009), 10.

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Students with Interrupted Formal Education

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Students with interrupted formal education, also known by the acronym SIFE, are a relatively small proportion of recently arrived English language learners (ELLs), probably somewhere between 10 and 20 percent. 1 However, these students often represent the most challenging of our ELLs because of their limited first-language literacy skills, frequent gaps in academic knowledge and skills, and, sometimes, critical social and emotional needs.

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Home → Data & Reporting → Data Warehouse → Student Outcome Data → Student Outcome Data

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Suggested Scaffolds at Each Proficiency Level

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Suggested Scaffolds at Each Proficiency Level

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Suggested Scaffolds at Each Proficiency Level 2

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Collaborative Strategies to Support SLIFE Participation in School-to-Career Programs

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Collaborative Strategies to Support SLIFE Participation in School-to-Career Programs

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Fairfax County, VA

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Varga, Margolius, Yan,

Cole, & Zaff, 2017

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THE DISTRICT ROLE IN GRADUATION RATE IMPROVEMENT

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THE DISTRICT ROLE IN GRADUATION RATE IMPROVEMENT

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Duffy, Poland, Blum, & Sublett, 2015

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‘‘I’m Not Going to Be, Like, for the AP’’: English Language Learners’ Limited Access to Advanced College-Preparatory Courses in High School

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‘‘I’m Not Going to Be, Like, for the AP’’: English Language Learners’ Limited Access to Advanced College-Preparatory Courses in High School

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Kanno & Kangas, 2014

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English Language Learners' Pathways to Four-Year Colleges

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English Language Learners' Pathways to Four-Year Colleges

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Kanno & Cromley, 2015

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The Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs

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The Five Pillars of Equitably Grading ELLs

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SupportEd Infographic