Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication of English Learners for Active Parent Involvement: A Critical Practice for Shared Goals

[The] “No Child Left Behind Act (2001) clearly highlighted that the states that receive Federal funding need to adhere to set directives for including parents in their children’s education.”

-          Gonzalez-DeHass, Willems, & Holbein, 2005, para. 1

Family and School Partnership for Student Achievement Act demands that every school board, school district superintendent, and teacher require to completely buttress and collaborate to carry out a well-planned, inclusive, and comprehensive arrangement to assist parents and families in productively engaging in their child’s education. 

 - The Florida Senate (2016 Florida Statutes)

A student is an entity that binds parents and teachers together. The concept of good school, good teacher, and good parent does not emerge from a vacuum, but from the hard work of everyone working together on various issues. The parent-teacher communication among teachers is a necessary condition for better student achievement. The parents and teachers share common goals, such as helping students find solutions to everyday problems, make better choices, and provide better learning opportunities, to ensure their better future. Positive and regular communications between parents and teachers play crucial roles in determining students’ achievement and future outcomes (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991; Epstein & Dauber, 1991; Lee & Bowen, 2006; Stevens & Tollafield, 2003; Turney & Kao, 2009).

However, the recent data of parent teacher collaboration is not exciting. A current study reports that approximately 40% of parents do not participate in school activities, 21% cannot read, and 6% do not have access to a telephone (Stevens, & Tollafield, 2003). The obvious outcome is the prospect of cordial relationships between these parties is difficult when parents do not participate in school activities.  Further, it is challenging when teachers and school authorities fail to send correct messages for parents to show-up to actively participate in parent-teacher activities. It is hard to pinpoint the reasons behind it; however, many teachers, school authorities, and school districts perceive these parents to be of low socio-economic status (SES), immigrants, single parents, parents who work long hours, problematic households, and/or parents who cannot articulate in English (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991; Lee & Bowen, 2006; Stevens & Tollafield, 2003). A significant amount of research in this area shows that ethnically diverse families, minority and immigrant families, and families of color feel more barriers when participating in school activities than mainstream English-speaking Caucasian families (Turney, & Kao, 2009). According to Turney and Kao (2009) the most common barriers were unavailability of child care, transportation issues, no available time off from work, not feeling welcomed by the school and school authorities, and language barriers (e.g., not able to articulate properly in English).

English Learners and Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are a very common academic culture and research based approach in the United States of America. People who come from different parts of the world may not know the expectations and the importance of their collaboration with schools and teachers regarding their child’s progress and success. Some parents may simply avoid participation because of the language, and cultural barriers.  Other parents may believe that it is the school or teacher’s job instead of theirs. Whatever the reason the parents give, it is important for them to understand that parent-teacher conferences are an opportunity for parents and teachers alike to learn from each other. In most cases, schools and teachers need to take the initiation to reach out to every parent regardless of their ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, or linguistic differences.  Parents are important resources for their children because they are the experts regarding the needs and development of their own children (Manning, 1985). Their insights into their child’s strengths, weaknesses, interests, hobbies, learning styles, preferences, and additional learning opportunities outside of the classroom can help teachers modify or improve their teaching methodologies. Informing parents of their student’s progress and giving them strategies and suggestions to use at home decreases teachers’ everyday workload, while making teachers look more accountable towards their job, and gain trust among parents to form a strong bond (Delgado-Gaitan, 2009).

Common-strategies to make parent-teacher conference a success: Communicating with parents of English learners (ELs) who speak other languages at home poses some extra challenges, which as researchers believe requires other skills, including a cultural responsive communication approach (Delgado-Gaitan, 1991). Here are some suggestions:

A.    Prepare in Advance: Parent-teacher conferences are stressful for both parents and teachers. Careful and thorough planning is essential for the teacher to be able to answer the wide range of questions that parents may ask.  For example, parents ask questions which include (but are not limited to) whether their child is to be promoted, their child’s ability of achieving state and district expectations, assessment results, school entry requirements, services available for parents and their children, opportunities for parental participation, test accommodations, school board rules, and even the teacher’s qualifications (Florida Statutes, 2016). Teachers should make sure that parents can understand the English language.  If not, preparations should ensue to avoid awkwardness. For example, arrangements should be made for a translator to be present for the conference.  If that is not possible, then advanced academic vocabulary may have to be replaced with common everyday expressions, and teachers should make this choice in advance.

B.     Stay positive: Keep your composure even if the parents are late. In some cultures, time is just an approximation. According to their culture, arriving before or exactly at the given time may be rude or embarrassing. Learn basic etiquette and at least a couple of words in their language to cordially welcome them. This gesture gives them the impression that you know who they are and you value their language and culture, regardless of your own proficiency.

C.     Highlight strength and achievement of the students: All children including ELs are unique; they possess a distinct set of characteristics, and their parents are their greatest fans. Parents like to hear about their child’s achievements, including the constructive challenges posed by their teachers.   Parents want to know whether or not their teachers value the unique attributes and strengths of their children (Delgado-Gaitan, 2009; Manning, 1985; Harvard Family Research Project, 2010).

D.    Speak clearly and get ready to slow down and repeat as needed: Speak slowly, and use simple words as well as a lot of gestures and body language. Finding pictures, maps, or other assistive devices in advance makes communication smoother. Begin with discussing student progress and growth because starting with positive attributes makes everyone feel comfortable. You should be ready to repeat if you think they have lost track of what you saying.

E.     Listen carefully: Ask them questions about their child’s activities at home as well as his/her strengths and weaknesses, including non-school learning habits. Listen to them carefully and encourage them to speak as much as they want. Do not judge, but offer them a chance to take part in the decision-making process regarding the required steps that their child needs to take. Using we instead of you fosters a sense of collaboration and community between parents and teacher. 

F.      Follow-up: Teachers should follow-up with parents to maintain good rapport.  Thus, it is important to communicate frequently via phone calls, notes, messages, letter, or even e-mails even with the parents who did not attend the conference. You can ask them the right time and mode of communication during your face-to-face meeting. The follow-up with absentees can be initiated with a short note such as “I regret that I missed you at the last parent-teacher conference. Our communication is important for the achievement of your child. What would be a good time to call you?” Another possible way would be to ask, “What is the best way to contact you?” You can even translate this memo in their home language and send it home with the child.

Conclusion

Parents and teachers are two different, but equally important entities in students’ lives, and their  relationship determines the students’ academic achievement and future success. Schools throughout the United States provide opportunities for parents and teachers to come together to inform each other and to learn from one other. However, parents of ELs often do not feel comfortable being involved in school activities, which may result in negative consequences like disciplinary meetings, failure to keep up with academic, professional, and personal endeavor.  Cross-cultural communication is complex and unpredictable, but not impossible, especially when both sides stay informed and prepared to meet these challenges. School and government policies must support and encourage parent/teacher relationships to positively affect children’s education at home and school. Teachers can make a difference if they are willing to make extra efforts in this area.

References

Delgado-Gaitan, C. (1991). Involving parents in the schools: A process of empowerment. American Journal of Education, 100(1), 20-46.

Epstein, J. L., & Dauber, S. L. (1991). School programs and teacher practices of parent involvement in inner-city elementary and middle schools. The Elementary School Journal, 91(3), 289-305.

Gonzalez-DeHass, A. R., Willems, P. P., & Holbein, M. F. D. (2005). Examining the relationship between parental involvement and student motivation. Educational Psychology Review, 17(2), 99-123.

Harvard Family Research Project. (2010). Parent-teacher conference tip sheets for principals, teachers, and parents. Retrieved from http://www.hfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/fckeditor/File/Parent-Teacher-ConferenceTipSheet-100610.pdf

Lee, J. S., & Bowen, N. K. (2006). Parent involvement, cultural capital, and the achievement gap among elementary school children. American Educational Research Journal, 43(2), 193-218.

Manning, B. H. (1985). Conducting a worthwhile parent-teacher conference. Education, 105, 4, 242-348.

Stevens, B. A., & Tollafield, A. (2003). Creating comfortable and productive parent/teacher conferences. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(7), 521-524.

The Florida Legislature. (2017). Family and School Partnership for Student Achievement Act of 2016, Florida Senate Statutes 1002.23. Retrieved from http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1002/Sections/1002.23.html

Turney, K., & Kao, G. (2009). Barriers to school involvement: Are immigrant parents disadvantaged? TheJournal of Educational Research, 102(4), 257-271.