Friday, June 1, 2007
Ways to Accommodate Parents of English Language Learners
After reading a few blogs on ELL learners, I found an interesting web site online that demonstrated three ways to accommodate parents of ESL students. It is obvious that ELL learners face significant communication challenges on a daily basis simply because it is extremely difficult to learn a new language. Especially for individuals who passed the Window of Opportunity stage. Can you imagine what your lives would be like if you could not effectively communicate with others in a language other than yours?
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5 comments:
Shivanna,
I found the same article, the address is posted below. I think that the article gave a lot of great tips that a teacher can use. I liked the suggestion to translate school news letters and announcements for ESL students and their families. I think that this is a great way to communicate with ESL families that their involvement is important. I also think that it is important to have a family liaison who can interpret for parents. As mentioned in chapter one of the reading material that we were given, teachers should avoid using children as interpreters for their parents. It shifts the power from the parent to the children.
http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/publicschoolprograms/tp/eslparents.htm
I could only imagine what it would be like to not be able to communicate with the majority of the population around me. I've never been to another country where I had to find a way to communicate with the natives. However I would be interested to do so just to gain a glimps at what people go through when moving to another country and not speaking the language. If I was able to do so I think I would have a better understanding about how those people feel and in turn be more simpathetic to their needs.
We think it is difficult for an ELL student in the classroom, but it probable is equally as difficult if not more difficult for the parents of those children. Parents are not in a setting where English is being spoken regularly most of the time. Fliers are usually sent home in English. Parents of ELL students would not be able to read these fliers therefore stopping them from knowing what is going on in their child's school. The website that you found, really does give some good ways to help ELL families to take part in their child's schooling. I think a great way is to have a family liaison who can interpret for parents and teachers. That way teachers can communicate with parents. It is not always easy to get such a liaison, however. I think it is an even better idea to translate fliers and newsletters into the child's native language.
Hey Everyone:
Im sorry that I forgot to post the website but here it is.
http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/publicschoolprograms/tp/eslparents.htm
I agree with all of you - as teachers we need to be able to communicate with the parents of our students. This is a great website. As a teacher, we need to know our students and where they came from. More importantly, if we are going to get any type of support from home for the student's education we better find a way to communicate with our parents.
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