English Language Learners:

Issues Among Parent Involvement

Defining the Question Parent involvement among ELL populations

• 1. What are the barriers to parent involvement among ELL populations?

• 2. What are successful parent involvement programs?

• 3. What can we do, as ELL teachers, to promote parent involvement?

(Arias & Morillo-Campbell, 2008)

Changing Demographics English Language Learners (ELLs) are

part of the fastest growing segment of school age population• 1989-1990: 2 million ELLs present in U.S.

schools• 2004-2005: 5 million ELLs present in U.S.

schools• In 2004-2005, ELLs represented 10.5% of

total public school population

(www.lps.org, Retrived November, 2009)

Changing Demographics Nebraska alone has experienced a 350%

growth rate in ELL student enrollment (2000)• Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) 2009-2010

Hartley Elementary: 310 total students-23% ELL students

Holmes Elementary: 373 total students-34% ELL students

Park Middle School: 859 total students-12% ELL students

North Star High School: 1783 total students-7% ELL students

Importance of Parent Involvement

When parents are involved, students are more likely to:• Achieve higher grades and test scores• Have better attendance records• Complete homework more consistently• Obtain higher graduation rates and greater

enrollment rates in post-secondary education, and

• Have better social skills and adapt well to school and surroundings

(Antunez, 2000)

(Antunez, 2000)

Importance of Parent Involvement

Most importantly, students achieve most when the student’s family is able to:• Create a home environment that encourages

learning• Set reasonable, yet challenging expectations for

the children’s achievement• Become involved in the child’s academic

development process

(Arias & Morillo-Campbell, 2008)

Barriers Among ELL Parent Involvement

Language skills: inability to understand the language spoken at school

Parent Educational Level: the lack of previous exposure to U.S. schools and limited educational background

Work Interference: conflicts between parent and school schedules

Lack of Communication: the lacking communication between teachers, schools, and parents

School and Parental Perceptions: Addressing and accepting various cultural beliefs and values

(Antunez, 2000)

Addressing the Issues: Ways to Solve the Problems

Better our communication skills:• Provide home-school coordinators or liaisons• Initiate home visits by teachers• All newsletters are to be sent home in native

languages• Create a multilingual homework line• Support the strengths of ELL parents, not their

perceived failings

(Antunez, 2000)

Addressing the Issues: Ways to Solve the Problems

School and Parental Perceptions• Acknowledge and accept parent’s and

student’s cultural values• Incorporate family, cultures, and community

into the curriculum

(Antunez, 2000)

Addressing the Issues: Ways to Solve the Problems

Logistics• Adjust meetings to accommodate parents

work schedules• Provide child care to facilitate parental

attendance at school functions• Arrange transportation to facilitate parent

and student involvement in school functions

(Antunez, 2000)

Addressing the Issues: Ways to Solve the Problems

Perseverance in Maintaining Involvement• Keep ideas new and fresh• Allow parents time to adjust; however,

continue to be understanding and accepting of each ELL family’s background

• Be consistent with approaches, programs, and communication

(Arias & Morillo-Campbell, 2008)

Basic Models for ELL Parental Involvement

Traditional Model• Offers suggestions for how parents can

support student academic development Non-traditional Model

• Attempts to develop a reciprocal understanding of schools and families

(www.pta.org, Retrived November, 2009)

Successful ELL Parent Involvement Programs

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)• “provides parents and families with a powerful

voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students.”

Three main principals proposed for building successful partnerships between parents and schools:• Raising awareness• Take action• Celebrate success

Successful ELL Parent Involvement Programs

The Georgia Project, Whitfield County, GA• “…As they explored the problem further the group discovered

that no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions were available…” (Narcisse, 2007 qtd by Montgomery, 2008)

• “…parent participation rose from one percent in 1996 to 95% in 2006.” (Narcisse 2007 qtd by Montgomery, 2008)

Latino Outreach: The School Connection, March 2008• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7OYQFU6gB0&feature=related

Parent Involvement Organizations National Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

• http://www.pta.org National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs

• http://www.pta.org/programs/invstand.htm Family Resource Center Coalition of Nebraska, Inc.

Suite 4105109 West Scott RoadBeatrice, NE 68310Phone: (402) 223-6040Fax: (402) 223-6043Email: ptimm@beatrice.k12.ne.us or bvca@alltel.net

Website: http://www.frccn.org/ Nebraska Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC)

Suite 200215 Centennial Mall SouthLincoln, NE 68508Phone: (402) 677-2684Toll-Free: (877) 843-6651Email: Lstclair@unmc.edu

Website: http://www.NebraskaPIRC.org/

“Too often we focus on what is lacking in children’s home environment rather than on the potential resources that might exist in them.” (Diamond, Wang, & Gomez, 2004)