Teach English in Ronghe Zhen - Yuncheng Shi

Parent involvement is a topic that continues to gain momentum in that it plays a huge role in education. Although parent involvement is typically associated with some challenges, it is most noteworthy to mention that EL parent involvement is coupled with additional challenges. Just imagine if your family just moved from another country and everyone had to learn English as a new language? The newcomer family would seek to find out what resources are available at their child’s new school to help them feel welcomed so they can flourish. The newcomer family would also want to know what programs are available at their child’s new school to challenge their child and how they can become involved in their child’s education. These and other concerns are commonly raised at the school level and warrant attention. To bridge these gaps, it may be helpful to implement a strong communication framework, nurture family-community-based partnerships, and share resources with parents and families. In general, data supports that parent involvement, or the lack thereof, may have an impact on a child’s education. Interesting enough, EL parents often have pause in participating in their child’s school for a number of reasons. Some have expressed that they are uncomfortable while others may feel intimidated. Data supports that low rates of participation of EL parents often connects with the parent’s language challenges or their means of communicating. According to Child Trends (2018) ‘parents who do not speak English at home have lower rates of attendance at general school meetings, parent-teacher conferences, or school or class events, relative to English-speaking parents; and lower rates of volunteering or serving on a committee” 1. This indicates that there is a need to focus on strengthening EL parent involvement. Nonetheless, it’s important for school leaders to pay close attention to how they communicate with EL parents and families in an effort to enhance participation. For example, if a newcomer family is struggling with learning English, it may be helpful for the school to provide translators at parent teacher meetings to help increase involvement. Family and community-based partnerships can play an essential role in fostering strong parent and family relationships. Faith based organizations may be able to offer after school settings where EL students and parents may choose to get more involved. The afterschool setting may be more intimate where the parents feel more comfortable hence, more eager to communicate. Data supports that EL parents may feel more uncomfortable than other parents for various reasons. For example, Child Trends (2018) purports that ‘parents who do not speak English well may feel uncomfortable getting involved with their children’s schools, or have trouble communicating with school staff. However, school efforts to engage parents who do not speak English in their native language may improve their level of involvement.” This is an area that continues to draw attention. It’s important for school leaders to recognize positive ways that the community may become involved in building strong relationships with families. This is particularly important when we speak of EL parents and families because EL parents and families have cultural values and beliefs that may impact their involvement levels. Being sensitive to cultural values and beliefs is a good way to learn how to begin to build a relationship and/or better rapport. The amount of time needed to build those new relationships may vary depending upon cultural values and beliefs and other factors, but it is imperative that school leaders work at ensuring that newcomers feel comfortable in participating and volunteering at their child’s school and continue to share valuable information with parents and families. Sharing tools and resources with parents is also critical to a child’s educational success. Parents serve as their child’s first teachers in that they build a natural bond from birth. As such, it's helpful to have tools and resources in order to better support their child’s educational journey. The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) at the U.S. Department of Education offers a plethora of resources and fact sheets relative to EL parent involvement2. The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) also provides a number of parent resources for EL families3. Overall, albeit there are a number of challenges faced with encouraging parents to become involved in their child’s education, there are a myriad of resources that are available. Ultimately, it’s up to educational leaders to tap into those resources and become actively involved in strengthening parent involvement across the nation. Sources 1 Child Trends, Parental Involvement in Schools (Sept. 16, 2018): https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/parental-involvement-in-schools 2 Parent Resources, U.S. Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/fast-facts/index.html 3 Parent Resources, National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (OELA): https://ncela.ed.gov/family-toolkit