Promoting ELL Parent Involvement

Author: Arias, M.B., Morillo-Campbell, M.
Publisher: Education Policy Research Unit, Arizona State University
Publication Date: 2008, January
Full text available online at: http://epsl.asu.edu/epru/documents/EPSL-0801-250-EPRU.pdf

Abstract

This thought-provoking article places the issue of parental involvement in the school community within the current sociopolitical context of anti-immigrant and anti-bilingual sentiment, in which many English learner parents fit the description of a marginalized group. The article reminds the reader that EL parents “frequently view their role in schooling very differently from the way that mainstream English speaking communities view their relationships with schools” and that educators should not view this difference as a deficit. The article reviews the basics of making families feel welcome and provides a few novel suggestions before grouping the barriers to communication in three main categories: communication, school/parental perceptions, and logistics.

The focus of the report is non-traditional models of EL parent involvement, for which the authors provide examples and then contrast those examples with their traditional model counterparts. Some of this information is presented in an easy-to-read table format. The authors profile two family literacy programs, one community-based parent education program, and two parent advocacy programs. The success of these diverse programs in facilitating family involvement in the school community or in their children’s educational process can encourage education professionals to implement similar programs. The article concludes with the following recommendations for policy makers:

• Support the implementation of traditional parental involvement programs that are culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate.
• Fund the implementation of nontraditional parental involvement programs that reflect a reciprocal involvement in the school/parent community.
• Support the professional preparation of teachers who can identify community funds of knowledge for curricular development and school outreach.
• Support community-based education programs that inform parents about school values and expectations and work with parents to help them become advocates for their children.