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Introduction to the Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Webinar

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Introduction to the Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Webinar

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Please watch this video to get information on the MLS and how to administer it.

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Introduction to the Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Webinar

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This project is a result of collaboration with some of our ENL Council members, who are ENL teachers. The current need for online instruction poses an added challenge for English language learners with regard to accessing content, so this unique resource provides teachers with customized, instructional videos about how to scaffold content and resources that they already use.

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LibGuides: Supporting English Language Learners: Home

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LibGuides: Supporting English Language Learners: Home

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Emergent Multilingual Learners in Pre-K Programs Guidance Document

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Emergent Multilingual Learners in Pre-K Programs Guidance Document

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Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile Process for Pre-K Students

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Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile Process for Pre-K Students

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Flowchart

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Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile for Pre-K Students

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Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile for Pre-K Students

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This questionnaire is translated into 24 languages. To access these documents, please go to: http://www.nysed.gov/bilingual-ed/emergent-multilingual-learners-prekindergarten-programs

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This contains a link to the OBEWL website section that contains information about Emergent Multilingual Learners in Pre-K Programs.

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Issue for Discussion

Should the Board of Regents direct staff to utilize an "Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile for Prekindergarten Students" as part of a process to identify when a prekindergarten student's home or primary language is other than English?

Reason(s) for Consideration

The term "English Language Learner" (ELL) in New York State (NYS) refers to students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade who are identified pursuant to the ELL identification process set forth in Commissioner's Regulations (CR) Part 154-2.3(a).

CR Part 151 Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Regulations do not mandate a process for identifying ELLs in Prekindergarten. The New York State Education Department's (NYSED) Prekindergarten Quality Assurance Protocol requires Prekindergarten programs to support all young learners with fidelity and communicate with their families in their home language.

CR Part 117.1-3 establishes standards for the screening of every new entrant into NYS schools to determine which students are possibly gifted, have or are suspected of having a disability in accordance with subdivision (6) of section 3208 of the Education Law, and/or possibly are "limited English proficient" in accordance with subdivision 2-a of section 3204 of the Education Law.

The United States Department of Education's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Early Learning Non-Regulatory Guidance contains explicit language related to the instruction to ELLs and providing professional development to their teachers: "States must assist teachers (including preschool teachers), principals, and other school leaders, state educational agencies, and schools in establishing, in implementing and sustaining effective language instruction educational programs designed to assist in teaching English Learners including immigrant children and youth." [SEC.3102Purposes] ​

Procedural History

In October of 2014, NYSED's Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) and the Office of Early Learning (OEL) presented a discussion item to the Board of Regents (BOR) on the formulation of protocols and procedures to meet the language and literacy needs of all young children. A panel presentation took place to discuss the importance of including the need for bilingual programs and services in Prekindergarten programs. In addition, the panel presented ways to effectively assess the needs of ELLs in Prekindergarten (or rather, Prekindergarten students likely to be identified as ELLs the following year upon entering Kindergarten), issues of equitable access, and the importance of providing necessary and appropriate supports and services to students and families.

The BOR directed staff to draft and develop protocols and procedures to reflect the needs of emerging bilingual children in Prekindergarten programs, which included items such as an at-home questionnaire, professional development curricula for Prekindergarten administrators and teachers, and the creation of resources for families.

Background Information

According to NYSED 2016 data, of the approximately 2.6 million public school students in NYS, over 245,000 (8.8%) are ELLs. Currently, NYSED mandates use of the New York State Identification Test of English Language Learners (NYSITELL) to identify ELLs beginning in Kindergarten. In 2016, approximately 29,425 (12.3%) of all ELLs were in Kindergarten. Among these students, 16,688 (56.71%) listed Spanish as their home or primary language. Another 3,655 (12.42%) listed Chinese as their home or primary language, and other languages listed as the home or primary language of a significant number of Kindergarten ELLs include Arabic (1,175, or 3.99%), Bengali (840, or 2.85%), Russian (696, or 2.37%) and Urdu (576, or 1.96%).

CR Part 151 Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) Regulations neither mandate a process for identifying students as ELLs in Prekindergarten nor mandate ELL services. School districts with State-funded Prekindergarten programs must report to NYSED if they have a process in place for identifying Prekindergarten students who speak a language other than English. In 2015-16 approximately 18% (86 out of 478) of NYS school districts with State-funded Prekindergarten self-reported that they do not have a process to identify Prekindergarten students who speak a language other than English. Those districts which did have an identification process (392 out of 478 or 82%) selfreported an approximate total of 29,802 Prekindergarten students statewide who speak a language other than English. These students made up approximately 25% of the total Prekindergarten population of 120,069 students. Among these ELL students, 23,538 (79%) were reported by the New York City Department of Education and 6,264 (21%) were reported by rest of State.

While we have witnessed the expansion of Prekindergarten programs and the rise in population of ELLs in Kindergarten through grade 12, the need to support such students starting in early care and education has also risen. As stated in The Blueprint for English Language Learner Success and as part of the Department's mission, the Department supports the design of optimal learning environments that value linguistically diverse children who enter as early as Prekindergarten.

In 2014, the Department established the Committee on Bilingual Education in Prekindergarten Programs (the Committee), which is comprised of educators and advocates who believe in the importance of promoting receptive and productive oral and literacy development in young learners, as well as in the advantages of multilingualism.

The Committee supports the design of optimal learning environments which value linguistically diverse children and their families, and the creation of high-quality Prekindergarten programs that strengthen the language and literacy skills of all students and lead to narrowing academic achievement gaps. The Committee also works to support development of a highly effective workforce, and to equip educators with classroom tools and professional training to meet the needs of multilingual children in Prekindergarten. In order to incorporate academically and linguistically relevant instruction into Prekindergarten curricula and programs, it is critical for educators to recognize the experiences that young children have with diverse languages, and use this information to inform instruction and programming in Prekindergarten and beyond.

The Department has developed an Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile For Prekindergarten Students (see Attachment 1) to identify students who speak a language other than English. The Department recommends use of the term "Emergent Multilingual Learners (EMLLs)" to refer to Prekindergarten students identified by this Language Profile. The Language Profile gathers information about all students in Prekindergarten, and identifies the existing language(s) and linguistic experiences of young students, rather than quantifying the level of English proficiency (unlike identification assessments like the NYSITELL, which do quantify students' level of English proficiency). This information will assist educators in providing services that best meet the needs of EMLLs.

Related Regents Item(s):
http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/1014p12d4.pdf http://www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/PreKELLs.pdf

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Emergent Multilingual Learners in Prekindergarten Programs

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Issue for Discussion Should the Board of Regents direct staff to utilize an "Emergent Multilingual Learners Language Profile for Prekindergarten Students" as part of a process to identify when a prekindergarten student's home or primary language is other than English?

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2020 NYSESLAT School Administrator's Manual

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2020 NYSESLAT School Administrator's Manual

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Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ) & Interview Guidance

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Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ) & Interview Guidance

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Available in 41 languages

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English Language Learner ID Chart and ID Chart Guidance

In the fall of 2014, the Board of Regents adopted the New York State Education Department's proposed amendments to Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (CR Part 154), which establishes the legal requirements for the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) in New York State (NYS). CR Part 154 outlines specific procedures that must be followed in order to determine English proficiency during the initial enrollment or reentry process.

The English Language Learner (ELL) Screening, Identification, Placement, Review, and Exit Criteria flow chart and the accompanying ELL ID Chart Guidance are designed to ensure that school districts uniformly and consistently implement an identification process to determine if a student is an English Language Learner when he or she initially enrolls in or reenters a New York State (NYS) public school. Please use the chart and the accompanying guidance as a reference for proper procedures..

Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ) and HLQ Guidance

After registration and enrollment in the school, the Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ) is completed by the parent/guardian. However, districts may create their own form for diagnostic assessment of a prospective enrollee's linguistic needs, incorporating questions 1-7 on the HLQ, and distribute at any time, including prior to enrollment. Qualified personnel must be available to determine if a language other than English is spoken at home. Qualified personnel means:

A New York State certified bilingual or English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher who is fluent in the home language of the student and parent/guardian or uses a qualified interpreter/translator of the language or mode of communication the student and parent/guardian best understands OR

A New York State certified teacher who has been trained in cultural responsiveness, language development, and the needs of ELLs and who is proficient in the home language of the student or parent/guardian or uses a qualified interpreter/translator of the language or mode of communication the student or parent/guardian best understands.

The HLQ is available in forty-one languages, including, but not limited to: Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Polish, Korean, Bengali, Arabic, Urdu, Vietnamese, Amharic, and Portuguese. Assistance with low incidence language translations can be obtained through your local Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (RBERN).

All HLQ translations can be downloaded below:

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ELL Identification & Placement/Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ)

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In the fall of 2014, the Board of Regents adopted the New York State Education Department's proposed amendments to Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (CR Part 154), which establishes the legal requirements for the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) in New York State (NYS).

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You may wish to use this document to assist you with planning and ensuring that there is a process in place for screening new potential ELLs/MLLs

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ELL Screening Handout with Guiding Questions and Links updated 2.2020

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Easy-to-access bilingual progressions to use to design scaffolded activities aligned to the ELA standards.

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from the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

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Bilingual Glossaries for All Content Areas

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Bilingual Glossaries for All Content Areas

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year. These glossaries may be downloaded, printed and disseminated to educators, parents and ELLs/MLLs.

Bilingual glossaries are an essential and expected test accommodation for ELLs/MLLs in the State of New York. The languages of these glossaries cover the top 10 languages at the state level, with new languages added based on changing language populations in the NY State student demographic data.

Schools should provide testing accommodations to ELLs/MLLs, as needed, on all NYS ELA and content-area assessments (i.e., Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). Districts/schools must make all necessary arrangements to make these accommodations available for ELLs/MLLs who need them. Please click here for the New York State Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages Webpage on "Assessment and Testing Accommodations".

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year.

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Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Quick Sheet

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Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Quick Sheet

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Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Checklist

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Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener Checklist

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K-Gr. 8 Units of Study: How many minutes of service in Stand-Alone and Co-Taught?

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K-Gr. 8 Units of Study: How many minutes of service in Stand-Alone and Co-Taught?

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Gr.9-Gr.12 Units of Study: How many minutes of service in Stand-Alone and Co-Taught?

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Gr.9-Gr.12 Units of Study: How many minutes of service in Stand-Alone and Co-Taught?

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Information available in 13 languages

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Guidelines for Implementing the Seal of Biliteracy 2020
Below is an excerpt from the Guidelines for Implementing the Seal of Biliteracy (2020). Click here to access this report. The NYSSB Task Force uses the guidance provided in this report to continuously improve access and equity to the New York State Seal of Biliteracy.

After several years of implementing the Seal of Biliteracy at the state and local levels, many lessons have been learned, many questions have arisen, and many ideas have been piloted and evaluated. To share what has been learned from these experiences, seven organizations present these updated guidelines for implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy. The organizations that have partnered to present these updated guidelines are:

ACTFL

MLA (Modern Language Association)

NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education)

NAELPA (National Association of English Learner Program Administrators)

NCSSFL (National Council of State Supervisors for Languages)

SealofBiliteracy.org and Californians Together

TESOL International Association

The goals for presenting these guidelines are to:

1. Strengthen existing strategies for implementing the Seal of Biliteracy

2. Encourage expansion of practices at the local and state levels

3. Connect all language learning programs across institutional lines (including primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions) to support all learners to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy, regardless of learners' native or heritage languages

The guidelines are organized around the following themes:

1. Advocacy - Purpose

2. Pathways to Biliteracy

3. Equity and Access to Opportunity to Earn the Seal of Biliteracy

4. Implementation Guidelines for State Education Agencies (SEAs)

5. Implementation Guidelines for Public School Districts

6. Implementation Guidelines for Non-Public Entities

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Guidelines for Implementing the Seal of Biliteracy 2020 Below is an excerpt from the Guidelines for Implementing the Seal of Biliteracy (2020). Click here to access this report. The NYSSB Task Force uses the guidance provided in this report to continuously improve access and equity to the New York State Seal of Biliteracy.

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Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PRHYLI)

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Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PRHYLI)

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The Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute is an innovative collaboration with the NYS Assembly/Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force in conjunction with the annual SOMOS El Futuro conference, Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages, the New York City Department of Education, and other agencies as appropriate.

The overall purpose of the PR/HYLI is student empowerment. To this end the Institute has the following goals for its student delegates:

The development of leadership skills in Latino/Hispanic Youth;

The creation of opportunities for Latino/Hispanic students to interact with positive role models such as Puerto Rican/Latino elected officials, educators, and business leaders;

The creation of partnerships and conversations among educators, business leaders and students, and

The development of an in depth knowledge of the state legislative process.

The Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute consists of 3 main phases:

1. Training in regional delegations: selected student delegates focus on identification and research of local issues, study of the NYS legislative process, parliamentary procedure and selected bills.

2. Participation in the 3-day Institute: Approximately 200 students from 8 delegations statewide take part in key activities which include team-building exercises to develop inter-regional relationships, a Mock Assembly session which is conducted in the NYS Assembly chamber, a student recognition dinner where winners of the PR/HYLI scholarships and other awards are announced and career development workshops.

3. Extension and refinement of leadership skills: back in their local communities, student delegates continue to develop leadership skills and put their skills "to practice."

The above information has been taken from the PR/HYLI website. For full information and application materials visit the PR/HYLI website.

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Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute

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The Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute is an innovative collaboration with the NYS Assembly/Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force in conjunction with the annual SOMOS El Futuro conference, Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages, the New York City Department of Education, and other agencies as appropriate.

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Some Strategies for Increasing Family Engagement

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Some Strategies for Increasing Family Engagement

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Available in 13 languages

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Parents' Bill of Rights & ELL/MLL Parent Hotline

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An informed, empowered community of parents, guardians and other persons in parental relation is critical to ensuring that English Language Learners (ELLs) are well served. The New York State Education Department's Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) has created an English Language Learner Parents' Bill of Rights which summarizes critical rights concerning educational access and programming for ELLs and their parents.

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Go-To Strategies Matrix for All Modalities

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Go-To Strategies Matrix for All Modalities

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To evaluate your own preparation to support culturally and linguistically diverse students.

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Bilingual Glossaries for All Content Areas

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Bilingual Glossaries for All Content Areas

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year. These glossaries may be downloaded, printed and disseminated to educators, parents and ELLs/MLLs.

Bilingual glossaries are an essential and expected test accommodation for ELLs/MLLs in the State of New York. The languages of these glossaries cover the top 10 languages at the state level, with new languages added based on changing language populations in the NY State student demographic data.

Schools should provide testing accommodations to ELLs/MLLs, as needed, on all NYS ELA and content-area assessments (i.e., Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). Districts/schools must make all necessary arrangements to make these accommodations available for ELLs/MLLs who need them. Please click here for the New York State Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages Webpage on "Assessment and Testing Accommodations".

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year.

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from jeffzwiers.org

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Bilingual resources for purchase in more than 50 languages

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Supporting Bilingual Students

Looking for the best bilingual books for language learners? We make it easy to get engaging dual language books into the hands of children. Readers will find fiction and non-fiction books in over 60 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and much more! Use our books, interactive audio, and free teaching resources to strengthen the parent-home connection, promote literacy, and celebrate diversity.

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Children's Bilingual Books & Multicultural Audio Books | Language Lizard

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Shop award-winning bilingual children's products in 50+ languages! We carry multicultural books, posters, audio books, dictionaries & free lesson plans. Enhance your education today!

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Where to Find the Professional Learning Calendar on Our Website!

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Where to Find the Professional Learning Calendar on Our Website!

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Scaffolding Suggestions from NYSED Math Curriculum

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Scaffolding Suggestions from NYSED Math Curriculum

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Screening Guidance Document

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Language Proficiency Team Guidance Document

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Language Proficiency Team Guidance Document

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Forms of Scaffolding

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Academic Speaking for ELLs

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from the Pedagogy of Play Project

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Understanding Cultural Diversity

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The Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages at the New York State Education Department strives to provide students whose home languages are other than English access to equity and excellence in education. If your child's home language is other than English and he or she is learning, or on the way to learning English, your child is becoming bilingual. Congratulations! Bilingual children have unique assets and advantages and have great opportunities ahead. The New York State Education Department strongly values bilingualism and strives to provide the best setting for your child to develop his or her full language potential.

We invite you to learn about the educational programs available for newly enrolled students with home or primary languages other than English who need support in reaching English language proficiency. These students are called English Language Learners (ELLs) or Multilingual Learners (MLLs). We recognize that these students are not only developing English skills but becoming biliterate or, in some cases, multilingual children.

With more than 200 languages spoken within its borders, New York State is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse places in the world. Having more than one language is among our students' greatest assets. Thus, educational programs for ELLs across New York State aim to draw on the home or primary language as a resource to ensure that all students are able to excel academically.

In this section of our website, you will find information about how children are identified as ELLs, the kinds of programs available for ELLs, when students can exit ELL programs and services, and how you can obtain additional information, materials, and resources from local schools.

We believe parents and families play a fundamental role in determining which program best addresses the social, cultural, and academic needs of their children. We are excited to partner with you and look forward to working with you throughout this process.

Angelica Infante-Green

Deputy Commissioner of P-12 Instructional Support

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The Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages at the New York State Education Department strives to provide students whose home languages are other than English access to equity and excellence in education. If your child's home language is other than English and he or she is learning, or on the way to learning English, your child is becoming bilingual.

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Article: How to Reach Out to Parents of ELLs/MLLs

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Article: How to Reach Out to Parents of ELLs/MLLs

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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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The following strategies offer tips for building relationships with the families of English language learners (ELLs), getting to know their strengths and stories, and creating a welcoming environment.

Supporting immigrant families

For related ideas, see the following:

1. Learn about your ELL population

A. What you need to know

Learning about your ELL families provides an important foundation for everything else you do at the school. Even basic information about students' ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, or the situations from which they have come, can help you match students with the appropriate services and programs.

B. Reflection

Answer the following questions about your ELL families using a KWL chart:

What do you know about your ELL students and families?

What do you want to learn?

Who on the staff works most closely with your ELL families?

What would be valuable for your school-wide staff to know?

C. Strategies

If you do not yet know this information about your ELLs, find out:

What countries your families come from

How many of your ELLs were born in the U.S.

What languages they speak (which may be at least two or three!)

If families who speak the same language, such as Spanish, come from different countries or different regions within the same country

The educational background of families and the school system of their countries

If any of your ELLs are refugees or students with interrupted formal education

If your families have experienced war or another traumatic event such as a natural disaster.

In order to learn more about your ELL families:

Start with your ELL/bilingual educators. These individuals are an important resource whose experience working with ELL students and families can benefit the entire school community - and they will appreciate the opportunity to share their expertise!

Find out what resources are available from the district and community. This may include helpful background information as well as a network of interpreters.

Enlist a knowledgeable staff member, community member, or parent. If you find such a person, examine his/her background as it relates to what you need. For example, you may know a Somali young adult who is bilingual but doesn't remember Somalia. He may be more helpful as an interpreter than as a liaison for Somali families who have just arrived in the U.S.

Ask the families. You may want to include some questions in your home language survey or a very basic questionnaire that ELL parents fill out with an interpreter during student enrollment.

Note: Remember that your ELL population is not homogeneous. The child of a migrant worker from Mexico and the child of a teacher from Mexico probably won't have the same educational and economic needs. Learn what you can about each child's unique circumstances to the extent possible.

D. Example

An administrator from Minnesota wanted to better understand the needs of the children who were arriving at her school directly from Kenyan refugee camps. She wrote a grant that enabled her to travel to Kenya and visit the camps from which they were coming. What she learned at the camps was not only helpful for her; it was helpful for the entire staff. Based on her experience, she was also able to prevent some major misunderstandings around discipline issues. (Related video: Understanding Student Background, Dr. Cynthia Lundgren)

Resources

2. Integrate cultural traditions of your ELL families throughout the school

A. What you need to know

Becoming familiar with and including the cultural traditions of your ELL families within the larger school community not only enhances your ability to create a welcoming and respectful school environment - it has practical considerations as well. These include:

Scheduling: Scheduling around important cultural or religious holidays will help prevent large numbers of students from missing important instruction time, exams, and school events.

Classroom opportunities: Familiarity with ELL families' cultural traditions will provide teachers a base from which to build upon ELLs' background knowledge, create educational opportunities for other students, and foster a sense of respect among students for their peers.

Improved communication: Learning about your ELL families' traditions may help avoid miscommunication or cultural blunders that can damage a budding relationship.

B. Reflection

What are your ELLs' cultural behaviors and values? Which celebrations and holidays do they observe? How does your staff feel about the changes in your school population? How do they feel about working with ELLs?

C. Strategies

Avoid scheduling important events such as conferences or tests on major holidays and celebrations that large numbers of students are likely to miss.

Share these dates with the entire staff.

Share information about cultural celebrations with teachers so that they are able to positively support them and incorporate them into lessons. Even a simple memo that explains why students will be out and offers some ideas for follow-up activities will be helpful. (Encourage teachers to start with children's books, which often have background information and activities, such as these titles about Ramadan, Chinese New Year, and Día de los muertos.)

Learn about, recognize, and celebrate special events or holidays throughout the school.

Invite parents to share food, activities, and music at school events and in the classroom.

Encourage students to share traditions in school assemblies, talent shows, potlucks, and fairs.

Offer food that reflects the cultural influences of your families on the cafeteria menu.

Be mindful that students who are fasting may be less energetic in the afternoon. If possible, avoid school-wide parties or food-centered activities during these times.

Notes: Staff may resist the changes happening around them, and they may be uncomfortable discussing those changes. Such was the case of a school custodian in Minnesota who asked a receptionist "why they (the Muslim students) get special days off and we can't even celebrate Christmas." Dr. Lundgren explains the importance of having an open, non-threatening conversation with the entire staff that acknowledges the challenges of serving a new ELL population and explores steps the school can take to address those challenges. (Related video: Cultural shifts, Dr. Lundgren)

You may find it helpful to bring in a neutral, outside party who specializes in cross-cultural education and communication in order to help moderate these conversations if they seem particularly fraught with tension. An open dialogue with a professional will give your staff the tools they need to adjust to the new reality and create a more positive, welcoming environment for everyone in the school.

D. Examples

Storyteller Lucía González remembers a storyteller-in-residence program she led at a Colorado elementary school. The program was going to culminate with a Spanish-language story hour for the Latino families at the school. On the night of the event, the weather was bad, and few people had arrived as she was getting ready to start. Seeing the small crowd, the principal turned to her and said, "Don't worry if they don't come, because usually they don't come." At 7:00 p.m., however, the parents began to arrive, led by the excited children who had heard her stories. (Related video: A dream come true - The Storyteller's Candle, Lucía González)

A group of Muslim students at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute in Ontario approached principal Jim Woolley about finding a place to pray within the school. After working with an immigration settlement worker and local imam, the school reserved a classroom in which students pray on Friday afternoon after the school is closed. They use the classroom and then lock the door when they finish. According to Mr. Woolley, it doesn't cost the school anything and it doesn't require supervision. "We trust them," he said (D'Amato, 2011).

3. Create a welcoming environment for families

A. What you need to know

A welcoming environment can make a tremendous difference for all families, including ELL families. Entering a friendly, vibrant atmosphere lets families know that the school is "an integral part of the community" (Houk, 63) and that they are valued members of that community. This is especially important for immigrant families who may be intimidated by the formal school environment and the English language needed to participate.

Another way to think of this is to keep your ELLs visible. ELLs are often treated as an invisible minority, but ELLs and their families should "see themselves" throughout the school:

On the walls, through student work and photos

In the classroom, with books and lessons that incorporate their experiences and traditions

In school-wide cultural activities

In the faces of staff and volunteers who come from similar backgrounds.

B. Reflection

Imagine that you have arrived in a new country where you don't speak the language and where you will be enrolling your child in a local school. Think about arriving at the school for the first time, only to discover that no one at the school speaks English. Imagine the feeling of leaving your child in the hands of people with whom you can't communicate. Now envision, instead, that someone who speaks English greets you at the door, and you see a picture of an American flag in the front hallway. What might you be able to accomplish as a parent in the second situation that you wouldn't in the first?

C. Strategies

Make sure parents know how to get into the building, especially if doors are usually locked during the school day.

Post signs in multiple languages.

Display student work on the walls.

Display student and family photos on the walls.

Display the maps and flags of your students' native countries.

Display a large map in the front lobby where parents can mark their native countries with a pin.

Enlist a bilingual morning greeter to welcome students and families.

Ensure that your bilingual staff and volunteers are visible throughout the building.

Create a parent room (such as a lounge or classroom) with bilingual information and magazine subscriptions, a bulletin board, a lending library, and a computer (Houk, 58, 63).

Include bilingual books in the school library and classrooms.

Consider playing music in the front entryway or lobby.

Encourage teachers to create a welcoming environment within the classroom.

D. Example

At Lincoln Options School, in Olympia, Washington, there are photos of the entire school community - students, staff, and families - to greet guests in the front lobby. Each year, the school hires a photographer to attend its annual back-to-school barbeque and take informal photos (Houk, 9). In addition, student work is posted throughout the building (16).

Resources

4. Make a personal connection with families

A. What you need to know

Getting to know ELL families helps build an important relationship based on trust, which in turn can pave the way to student success. This approach is most effective when the communication is personal and face-to-face (Hori, 40; Alford 85). While it will require additional time and effort, building a more personal relationship with ELL families early in the year will yield big dividends throughout the rest of the year (Hori, 40). It will also provide opportunities for the staff to see just how deeply ELL parents care about their children's education.

Indeed, as Dr. Lundgren notes, many ELL families have come to this country with the hopes of offering their children a better future, and they are eager to talk with their children's teachers about what they can do to help their child be successful. (Related video: A better life, Dr. Lundgren)

B. Reflection

What are the challenges in meeting your ELL families personally? What are some ways to facilitate more personal interaction?

C. Strategies

Hold a special back-to-school event or picnic for ELL families in which they have time to meet you, other school leaders, their children's teachers, and school staff.

Create a welcome DVD in multiple languages. This may even be a great student project!

Provide staff the opportunity to learn some common phrases in your families' languages, as well as cultural gestures.

Visit local neighborhoods to meet families.

Connect new families with a contact person who speaks their language as soon as they enroll in the school for guidance and information (Houk, 66).

Create an "ambassador" program in which students and parents are trained to give tours.

D. Examples

Educator Maricela Rincon in Las Cruces, NM calls a different parent every day to share something positive about his/her child. According to Rincon, some parents say, "This is the first time I've had a positive phone call about my child." While Rincon is enthusiastic about the calls, they weren't her idea - they were required by the school principal (Flannery, NEA.org). (Related video: Parent outreach in high school, Bobbi Ciriza Houtchens)

A group of school educators asked experts from a local university to help them learn more about their ELL community. After the initial conversation, it was clear that the school leaders assumed that the parents' lack of input, communication, and attendance reflected a lack of interest in their child's education. After getting some parent input, however, the educators discovered that the parents weren't enthusiastic about the school letters inviting them to events. They didn't feel that the events were planned with them in mind, and the letters seemed very impersonal. The parents didn't see the letters as the invitations they were intended to be. They expressed preference for more personal contact and invitations from the school, at least in the beginning of the year, in order to establish a strong relationship (Alford and Niño, 81-82).

This is an excerpt from a parent letter to the principal about her first visit to her child's school:
I was very surprised when we were not able to speak to Lupe's teacher, Mrs. Gibbons, individually. In Guatemala we all knew the teachers and the teachers knew the parents...We do not know anyone here nor does anyone know us...we would have liked to tell Mrs. Gibbons how much we value education (Amaya, 53).

5. Show that you value families' native languages

A. What you need to know

As the school leader, one of your most important roles is defining the terms of engagement when it comes to ELLs' native languages. Do you see those languages as a barrier or an asset? Do you see native language literacy and instruction as a crutch or a tool?

Unfortunately, the political climate often dictates district or state policy regarding native language support (Wright, 51), and important information regarding the value of native language literacy is often left out of the debate. Frequently, ELL parents themselves are the party most resistant to promoting their native language at home or in school because they believe it will hinder their child's ability to learn English. While this belief is entirely understandable, the research is clear that strong native language skills contribute to ELLs' academic success throughout their education - in their native language and in English.

What can you do to navigate this tricky terrain and encourage the continued development of students' native language skills, as well as biliteracy and bilingualism for all students?

Respect parents' intentions: It is critical to assure parents that you respect their wishes and goals for their children; you can do so by explaining that strong native language skills will help their children learn English. This reassures parents that you have their children's best interests at heart and that you view their native language as an asset, not an obstacle.

Encourage native language use at home: Don't miss any opportunity to encourage parents to use their native language, whether it's through reading (which will help their children's reading skills in English) or taking the time to talk to each other at home. Look for ways that the school can support this interaction by offering bilingual books, educational materials, and activities.

Professional development: Provide training to all staff on the importance of maintaining students' native language and ways in which they can support students' bilingual development. Understandably, many teachers still feel that the best way to help ELLs is to forbid native language use in the classroom. Often, in this case, the teachers have good intentions - they just need more information. There may also be some anxiety about not being able to understand what students are saying. The best way to address this issue is through good professional development with an expert in second language or dual-language acquisition. Not only will the staff learn strategies that will help them and their students, they will learn how to answer parent questions about this topic with confidence as well!

B. Reflection

What is the current attitude towards ELLs' native languages in your school? Is a student's use of his/her native language encouraged or discouraged in the classroom? Do parents know where to get information in their language? How do teachers approach this issue?

C. Strategies

Post information in multiple languages.

Discuss with parents the value of strong native language skills and being bilingual.

Encourage parents to read or tell stories to their children in their native language.

Offer parent sessions, workshops, and classes in parents' native languages (Meyers, 44).

Include books in students' native languages in the school and classroom libraries (Freeman, 42).

Make resources available to students in their native languages to support content learning.

Consider the possibility of adding academic coursework (such as Spanish Literature for Spanish speakers) or AP courses in students' native languages.

Hire bilingual staff and recruit bilingual volunteers to the extent possible.

Inform parents that they are welcome to bring their own interpreter to a school meeting.

Provide training to all staff on why maintaining students' native language is important and how to support students' bilingual development.

Offer staff guidance on how to respond to parents' questions and comments.

D. Examples

In Illinois' Evanston/Skokie School District 65, parents are continually encouraged to use their native language at home and read to their children in their native languages daily. Washington School, a two-way immersion school, offers a family literacy program funded with a state grant in which parents participate in afternoon and evening literacy activities at the school and public libraries. Parents also learn how to help their children with homework - all in their native language (Yturriago, 51-52).

At Webster Elementary School in Long Beach, California, the school library has a large collection of books in Spanish and Samoan, the two dominant languages of the school's ELLs. Parents are encouraged to borrow books and bring younger siblings to the library (Houk, 45-56).

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Connecting with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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The following strategies offer tips for building relationships with the families of English language learners (ELLs), getting to know their strengths and stories, and creating a welcoming environment. Supporting immigrant families For related ideas, see the following: A. What you need to know Learning about your ELL families provides an important foundation for everything else you do at the school.

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Article: Encouraging & Sustaining ELL Family Engagement

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Article: Encouraging & Sustaining ELL Family Engagement

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The following strategies offer tips for thinking creatively about how to engage families around topics or activities that are important to them and their children.

Supporting immigrant families

For related ideas, see the following:

10. Look for ways that ELL parents can help with children's schoolwork

A. What you need to know

ELL parents may feel intimidated by or unprepared to help with homework or other schoolwork, especially if they have limited educational or English skills (Zarate, 9). You can help them understand their important role in supporting their child's success, however, with a few simple suggestions. (Related video: Reaching out to families, Kevin Eberle)

B. Reflection

What kinds of support do you expect your parents to give their children in terms of schoolwork? What kinds of resources and educational background (and language skills) do parents need in order to give their children that help? What are other ways parents can help?

C. Strategies

Encourage parents to:

Provide a place where children can do their homework

Check that homework is completed each night

Ask their children to tell them about what they learned each day

Keep in regular contact with a teacher or staff member about their child's progress

Ask teachers about any questions that arise

Learn more about homework help programs through before-/after-school programs and the public library

Read and tell stories in their native language.

D. Example

Marty Izaguirre is an ELL teacher in Okatie, South Carolina. Her elementary school holds Family Literacy Nights, which take place after school every other month and provide working parents with an opportunity to read to their children in both English and Spanish. Once parents come in, they find read-aloud circles (where teachers read books aloud to a small group), as well as areas where they can go and read with their child separately. The variety of activities provided to the parents allows them to join in an activity in which they feel comfortable. Adults and children are allowed time and space to read together. The school also provides an opportunity for parents and children to create their own special bookmark as they enjoy some refreshments. The events offer parents an opportunity to meet other parents, show their children the importance of reading, and learn how to support literacy development at home (Izaguirre, 2006).

11. Look for ways that ELL parents can participate and volunteer

A. What you need to know

There are a number of ways to include parents in the school community and to bring them together with other families at the school. This might include school visits, volunteering, or activities that draw upon their skills and hobbies.

B. Reflection

How likely are ELL parents at your school to sign up for events or volunteer? Do they know about all of the opportunities at the school? Are there certain events or places in the school where your active parents tend to gather? Do you know what skills and talents they might have to offer?

C. Strategies

Invite parents to visit the school and their child's classroom regularly (Houk, 66).

Invite parents to speak with their child's class about their native country, a hobby, or their job.

Encourage teachers to have an inviting activity ready for visiting parents.

Encourage parents to volunteer in the classroom, main office, lunchroom, or library; during events or field trips; or in a student club or after-school program (Meyers, 45). (Keep in mind that volunteering may include simple things like preparing items for an activity - such as cutting out shapes and organizing supplies.)

Find out what your parents' skills and hobbies are, and look for ways to draw on their talents.

Find ways to bring ELL and non-ELL families together through student performances, a student cultures night, storytelling, workshops, and exhibits (Meyers, 46). Your families might just realize that they have more in common than you - and they - originally thought!

D. Examples

Indiana teacher Miriam Soto-Pressley invites the parents of her ELLs into her classroom during reading time. The parents follow along with their children and they learn about read-alouds and how to interact with text. This helps them work with their children at home to increase reading comprehension.

A group of Latino parents at a preschool center in Florida who frequently sat outside in the sun waiting for their children each afternoon built a parent gazebo for the center, as well as a butterfly garden (Alvarado, 2010).

Following the arrival of a new group of students from El Salvador and Puerto Rico to a school in Massachusetts, a group of teachers decided to organize a school play that would be performed in Spanish. They distributed bilingual flyers to tell parents about auditions and asked parents to help with costumes and refreshments (based on earlier conversations they had had with the parents). On opening night, the auditorium was filled, and the school held multiple performances to accommodate parents' different work schedules. Word soon spread around the community about the play, and the students were invited to perform at other schools. By the final performance, more parent volunteers were participating in the school community than at any other time in the school's history (Zacarian, 119).

12. Think outside the box about parent engagement

A. What you need to know

One of the most important steps in engaging ELL parents is to realize that they may be coming from a very different cultural perspective when it comes to the educational system and their role in their child's education (Houk, 60). This may be due, in part, to:

Deep respect for teachers: Many ELLs come from cultures which revere teaching and where the teachers are considered the experts, not the parents. As a result, parents may be reluctant to ask questions so as not to question the teacher's authority, or they may assume that the schools don't want them to "interfere" in their child's education. Upon arrival in the U.S., newcomer parents may wonder why they are suddenly a school partner, and why in fact the school is asking the parent to do the teacher's job. As Betty Alford and Mary Catherine Niño note in Leading Academic Achievement for English Language Learners: A Guide for Principals, you wouldn't expect a doctor to ask the parents which medical procedure they would recommend for their child (80), and ELL parents may feel the same way about what their school is asking them to do.

Education vs. educación: These parents are likely to see an entirely different role for themselves in their child's education (Hori, 40). For Latino families, the idea of educación focuses on a child's personal and moral development, which has an important impact on the child's academic development. The authors of Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education: Perceptions, Expectations, and Recommendations note that, when asked, "(Latino) parents believed that monitoring their children's lives and providing moral guidance resulted in good classroom behavior, which in turn allowed for greater academic learning opportunities (9)."

The group vs. the individual: It's also important to keep in mind that many cultures outside of the U.S. are oriented more towards the group (the family, the class, the society, etc.) than the individual. In their book Managing Diverse Classrooms: How to Build on Students' Cultural Strengths, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull explore this concept as it relates to the Latino ideas of educación:
One's social behavior in a group (such as the family or the classroom) is of paramount concern; being a respectful contributor to group well-being rather than focusing on one's own achievement is highly valued. So when immigrant Latino parents come for a parent-teacher conference, their first question is likely to be "¿Cómo se porta mi hijo/hija?" ("How is my son/daughter behaving?"). A teacher may find it difficult to stifle her consternation after hearing the same question from 25 or 30 sets of parents, believing that all the parents care about is their child's behavior, when the teacher's goal is to discuss the child's academic progress (13-14).

Nevertheless, what looks like a lack of interest to the teacher actually reflects a deep interest on the part of the parent in the child's personal development and how this will affect the child's ability to be successful in the classroom.

B. Reflection

Make a list of five things you hope or expect that "involved" parents will do at your school. What do parents need to know in order to participate in these events? What challenges might ELL parents face in participating in these events?

C. Strategies

Form small focus groups with ELL parents and an interpreter. Ask the parents:

How they define their role in their child's education

What their concerns, priorities, and hopes are regarding their child

What kinds of events they would be interested in attending

The obstacles that discourage them from participating and changes that would help

Events where being part of a larger group might make them feel more comfortable.

D. Example

Carrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull share the example of a teacher who redesigned her parent-teacher conferences into group conferences for her Latino parents. She divided children by ability levels and met with the parents of children in similar levels at the same time. She also offered both English and Spanish groups. She explained report card formats, grading, her expectations for students, and what parents could do to help. Parents then had the opportunity for a personal consultation after the group discussion. One of the key benefits was that parents' questions helped each other as they felt confident to speak up in a less threatening environment. She saw all twenty-eight parents in three days (62).

13. Consider alternative schedules, locations, and kinds of events

A. What you need to know

Sometimes, when families can't come to the school, the school has to go to the families. Meeting families in other settings such as community centers or churches can provide an informal way to start building a relationship, especially if ELL parents feel shy or nervous about going to the school. In addition, going into the community indicates a strong level of commitment on the part of the school to the families (Alford & Niño, 86). You might also try planning parent or family events around the schedules of the families, especially if they are working a couple of jobs or shifts.

B. Reflection

Do you experience low attendance at family events held at school? Have you ever held any school events in the community? Were they successful? Why or why not?

C. Strategies

Visit your students' neighborhoods. Find out where families are congregating and who local community leaders are that can connect you with parents.

Collaborate with apartment complex managers to make a recreation room available for families.

Plan events in the community and put them on the school calendar before the school year starts, setting aside funds, such as Title I or Title III grants, to provide support for the events.

Consider giving parents a few different options for meeting times based on teacher availability.

Consider contacting parents' employers about parent schedules or holding conferences closer to parents' workplaces.

Don't limit yourself to meetings. Ask your families what kinds of events they would find enjoyable, beneficial, and convenient.

Consider group parent-teacher conferences. Families may feel more comfortable in a group, and it can be an efficient option -- you provide the key information once, and then can have brief conversations with individual parents.

D. Examples

In Philadelphia, a preschool held a parent meeting in the afternoon for parents who worked in the food service industry in the evening. More than twenty parents (mostly fathers) came to the meeting (Alvarado, 2010) to discuss their children's preschool program.

In Oregon, parent liaison Ma'Lena Wirth wrote a letter to her parents' employers, sharing her goals for building a stronger partnership with the families and explaining that most parents couldn't attend conferences due to their work schedule. As a result, the employer agreed to give parents time off for school events if the events started after the employer's busy season.

In New York, Susan Lafond held parent-teacher-translator conferences at the food court where her students' parents worked so that parents could take turns coming to meet with her.

In Colorado, Becky Corr made an appointment at the salon where her student's father worked with him specifically to talk about the student's college application.

In California, a group of teachers organized a meeting for the school's Hmong and Cambodian parents (whose people had been farmers for many generations), in which they would discuss the creation of a new school garden. The teachers were disappointed when just a few parents attended the meeting, and they took that as a sign that there was little interest in the garden. On garden day, however, eighty family members arrived with hoes and dug up the garden in a single day. As one of the parents said, "We don't do meetings. We do gardens" (Ferlazzo, 45).

14. Look for the successes

A. What you need to know

Encourage your staff to look for all of the different ways, big and small, that ELLs' families (including parents, siblings, grandparents, and other relatives) support their children's well-being and education. For example, different relatives may be involved in taking the children to school and picking them up, providing child care, or making sure that they are getting fed and getting a good night's sleep. While we expect all families to manage these responsibilities, ELL families may be going to extraordinary lengths to meet their children's basic needs. In addition, older ELLs have a lot of responsibilities in their family, including working, taking care of siblings, and translating for their parents. What looks like laziness, irresponsibility, or absenteeism may in fact be the result of a lot of responsibility at home.

Some of the successes and strengths of ELL students and families may include:

Commitment to the family's well-being

High expectations for children

Making education a priority

Respect for the teacher

Good attendance and behavior

Well-developed cooperation skills

A strong sense of responsibility one's self and others

Resourcefulness

Note: ELLs' parents might be largely absent from the picture, whether it's because of difficult work schedules or a family separation (or worse) that happened before moving to this country.

B. Reflection

What is a typical day like for your ELL students? Does that differ from the typical day of your other students? Where are they sleeping? Who is taking care of them? How do they get to school every day? What do they do after school? What challenges are they facing in their daily lives?

C. Strategies

Learn what you can about your ELLs' routines (which will vary tremendously), including the responsibilities they have in their families. Share what you learn with your staff (observing confidentiality rules) and encourage your staff to look for all of the ways, big and small, that ELLs' families and extended families are supporting their children's well-being and education.

Find out whether these responsibilities are taking a toll on students' school work or health, and if so, brainstorm some ideas with staff members about possible solutions.

D. Examples

Susan Lafond notes that her elementary ESL teachers had students whose families brought them to the restaurant or family store where they worked so the children wouldn't be home alone. The kids helped out on the phone or register and did homework until the parents closed for the evening, which was often 9:00 PM or later.

Kristina Robertson remembers a 3rd-grade student named Lisbeth. Lisbeth was very conscientious and came to school with neat clothing, clean and braided hair, and notebooks and pencils ready to go. When the staff did home visits, they were welcomed graciously by Lisbeth's parents to their home. In the apartment for a family with four children, the only furniture consisted of two chairs, a kitchen table, and a mattress. The parents spoke about the importance of their children's education and explained that every night they had their children do their homework at that kitchen table even though the parents didn't understand English. The teachers, who had been unaware of the family's limited circumstances, were incredibly moved by what they saw and developed a new appreciation for the parents' commitment to their children's education.

Kristina also shares the experience of a 2nd-grade student who was missing school frequently. Kristina soon discovered that she was helping her mom (a single mom) babysit her younger siblings since they didn't have regular childcare. The staff met with the mom and helped her find resources to provide affordable childcare support.

Finally, Kristina remembers her high school students who attended school from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.., and then worked from 4:00 p.m. until midnight. All of their money supported their relatives here and in their home country, so they never had extra money (or time) for special activities. Homework was a struggle, but in Kristina's eyes, her colleagues' attitudes were the most difficult challenges to overcome. Once teachers discovered why the students were coming to class so tired and how hard they were working, however, they worked to modify assignments and help the students.

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Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement

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The following strategies offer tips for thinking creatively about how to engage families around topics or activities that are important to them and their children. Supporting immigrant families For related ideas, see the following: A.

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Article: Getting Parents Involved in Schools

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Article: Getting Parents Involved in Schools

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Parent involvement continues to challenge practitioners engaged in school reform despite being a required component of many school improvement initiatives-from Title I Schoolwide Programs to federally mandated school improvement plans. The benefits of parent involvement are clear: A growing body of research shows that successful parent involvement improves not only student behavior and attendance but also positively affects student achievement. Yet many schools continue to struggle with defining and measuring meaningful parental involvement, and many don't feel that their efforts are successful. A recent survey of American teachers revealed that 20 percent of new teachers and nearly one fourth of principals identify their relationships with parents as a cause of significant stress in their jobs (MetLife, 2005).

In this article, we offer research-based advice and resources designed to help schools and districts foster successful parent involvement.

What is successful parent involvement?

Successful parent involvement can be defined as the active, ongoing participation of a parent or primary caregiver in the education of his or her child. Parents can demonstrate involvement at home-by reading with their children, helping with homework, and discussing school events-or at school, by attending functions or volunteering in classrooms. Schools with involved parents engage those parents, communicate with them regularly, and incorporate them into the learning process.

What are the barriers to successful parent involvement?

Schools often don't engage parents because they don't think they can. "A lot of it is perception. Teachers perceive that families don't want to be involved when, in fact, families don't know how to be involved," says Karen Salinas, communications director for the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University.

For their part, parents are sometimes hesitant to become involved in school because they don't have extra time or because they don't speak fluent English. But "the biggest problem is the disconnect between the school and the families," says Salinas. "Parents believe that they are not welcome. It comes in part from their own education history. They often have had a less-than-satisfactory experience with their own schooling, and so they don't feel like [being involved] is guaranteed to be a good experience."

Despite these communication barriers, both schools and parents want the relationship to improve, if only for the benefit of students. A 2003 analysis of more than 25 public opinion surveys by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan public opinion research organization, found that 65 percent of teachers say their students would do better in school if their parents were more involved, and 72 percent of parents feel that children whose parents are not involved sometimes "fall through the cracks" in school (Johnson & Duffett, 2003).

How do schools foster successful parent involvement?

Schools successful in engaging parents start by going beyond narrow definitions of involvement. They don't just count the number of parents who attend the spaghetti dinner or volunteer at the book fair. They don't focus on requirements such as having parents sign reports cards. Instead, they start with a belief that student success is a shared interest of both school and family, envision parents as partners in the learning process, and then identify concrete ways that partnership can be activated.

Improve Communication

Effective communication requires a two-way flow of information. While most schools develop efficient structures for getting information out-such as newsletters, Web sites, and press releases-far fewer develop similar structures to ensure that feedback from parents is actively solicited.

For some schools, improving communication involves technology such as e-mail messages and interactive phone systems. When Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Virginia, implemented an interactive voicemail, for instance, the school saw parental attendance at freshmen orientation jump from 50 to 1,000 (Viadero, 1997). Parents can use the system, called ParentLink, to hear messages from teachers about what is happening in their children's classes and access their children's grades and attendance records.

Other schools try to view parent involvement through the parents' eyes. B.F. Day Elementary in Seattle, for example, holds parent meetings and workshops not at the school but in a Family Center that operates in the neighborhood where many of their bilingual families live.

Of course, the use of any strategy must be tailored to the school's population. If families don't have reliable access to the Internet, e-mail won't work. A phone message in English won't communicate much to parents who speak only Spanish. The bottom line for schools is to communicate using strategies that convey what is important in a way that can be heard by parents and families and invites them to respond.

Teach both parents and teachers

We know that one thing that keeps parents from being involved is their discomfort with schools. And that discomfort often stems from parents not knowing how to be involved. Schools with a commitment to parent involvement take an active role in helping parents learn a variety of ways to be involved. The benefits for students are proven: A recent review of parent involvement research found that parent-child reading activities produce a significant improvement in children's language and reading skills from preschool through high school (Sheldon & Epstein, 2005); another study finds a strong positive effect on student achievement when parents work with students on homework (Van Voorhis, 2003).

Many schools use workshops and other school-based programs to help parents learn about what goes on in classrooms. For example, Clara E. Westropp School in Cleveland, Ohio, held monthly family reading nights. Parents go to the elementary school and read with their children as well as speak with teachers about reading and reading strategies (Epstein & Salinas, 2004). Even traditional involvement strategies present teaching opportunities. Sending home a "weekly work folder" is one positive step, but providing parents with specific information about what to look for in the student work goes one step further in communicating what's important.

The National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University has designed a useful teacher-parent partnership process called Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS). TIPS aims to forge a three-way relationship between teachers, parents, and their children through a creative approach to homework. Among its goals are encouraging parents and children to talk regularly about schoolwork, sharing ideas, gathering reactions, interviewing, or otherwise encouraging interaction between student and family members. TIPS also aims to keep assignments linked to real-life situations and "enable parents and teachers to frequently communicate about children's work, progress, and problems" (National Network of Partnership Schools, 2005). Some studies show secondary school homework assignments that require parent-student interaction predict higher levels of reading achievement (Sheldon & Epstein, 2005).

Many teachers report feeling unprepared to effectively involve parents. As a means of breaking down these barriers, teachers in the Sacramento, California, area have been trained since 1998 to participate in structured visits to their students' homes. The first visit focuses on establishing trust, while later trips give teachers and parents a chance to discuss ways in which parents can support students with the material they are learning in school. The schools involved in the program have seen a reduction in discipline problems and increases in attendance rates, and also are starting to see achievement gains.

Personalize

Successful parent-involvement programs typically develop in response to a specific need in the school or its community and are both focused and flexible in addressing that need. A strategy that works in one school might not be the best choice for another. For instance, while Sacajawea Elementary School in Seattle has established a Parent Mentor program in which parents are designated to contact other families to tell them about school activities, another school in the same city, High Point Elementary, began a program that allows parent volunteers to earn points toward rewards such as computers and other educational materials. Both programs have been recognized for dramatically increasing parent involvement.

Successful parent-school partnerships are not stand-alone, add-on programs. Instead, they are well integrated with the school's overall mission. Typically, quality programs are developed in collaboration with parents and reflect their needs and interests. Offering child care, translators, and multiple opportunities to hear information go a long way toward expressing a school's genuine interest in parent input.

Conclusion

Parents are the most important partner in a child's education and schools can reap large dividends by capitalizing on their support. To be sure, such relationships require a lot of work by both educators and parents. Although success will not come easy, the rewards are too great for a school not to try.

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Parent involvement continues to challenge practitioners engaged in school reform despite being a required component of many school improvement initiatives-from Title I Schoolwide Programs to federally mandated school improvement plans. The benefits of parent involvement are clear: A growing body of research shows that successful parent involvement improves not only student behavior and attendance but also positively affects student achievement.

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Does your school do a good job of reaching out to parents? Use this checklist to evaluate and improve parent-school partnerships.

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This is a checklist that was created by NYSED and adapted by Mid-State RBERN to determine the visibility of ELLs/MLLs in the school building

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from the Pedagogy of Play Project