ACTION 2.1
Treat families as partners
We used to think...
Schools know what is best for a student’s literacy development without regard for out-of-school knowledge or experiences. The relationship between the students, their families, and the teacher primarily focused on how students responded to teacher instruction.
Now we know...
Families offer rich and varied expertise, and knowledge of students and their communities, and should be considered critical partners in the child’s literacy experience.
Open communication between teachers and families builds trust and strengthens classroom relationships. These relationships transfer to positive relationships between students and teachers, which ultimately fosters a safe space for students to take risks in literacy.
Best Practice Strategies
To cultivate a supportive multi-language learning environment:
Teachers
Build a shared understanding with families that they are crucial partners in literacy development. This includes:
Encouraging, understanding and honoring literacy activities and development in home language and English.
Developing shared goals for the child’s literacy and language development
Consistent and regular communication on literacy performance in a way that promotes collaborative support. Communication occurs in language and format preferred by family.
Incorporating a child's family and culture into their learning experiences at school
Plan and host workshops to help parents with literacy development at home in English and in home language.
Resources
Promoting Equity for Young Multilingual Children and Their Families
WIDA - Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
This bulletin calls for teachers to critically self-reflect on their own identities and practices.
Four Pillars of Language-Focused Family Engagement
WIDA - Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Deepen your understanding of the four pillars of language-focused family engagement, as a means to encourage reflection and sustain conversation among practitioners working with multilingual learners.
Strategies for Equitable Family Engagement
American Institutes for Research/United States Department of Education/Catherine Jacques Alma Villegas
This resource provides an overview of evidence-based strategies that schools and districts may
use to promote equitable family engagement practices.
Empowering Parents
Reading Rockets/WETA Public Broadcasting
A series of short videos (total of 30 min) to support parents in learning how to support their child if they struggle with reading.
Supporting Literacy at Home Guides in English and Spanish
Ellipses
This parent guide supports parents of multlingual learners develop reading skills at home.
Parent letter to support literacy through themes
Multilingual Toolkit and SEAL
Bilingual parent letter template to suppor literacy development at home.
Lesson Plan: Family Engagement
Multilingual Learning Toolkit
This sample lesson plan and resource walk, are designed to support further learning on family engagment.
Sample Family Languages and Interests Interview
Early Edge California
Templates of the Family Languages and Interests Interview that can be used to gather information about a child’s language and cultural background and a family's learning goals for their children.
Creating Partnerships
Sarah Davila, Maura Mendoza/Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice
This resource gives examples of ways to engage families in the school community. There is a description of how art is used as a vehicle for building relationships.
Parent Workshop: Helping Kids Love Reading
Sesame Workshop
This video is designed to help parents encourage children of every age to love reading and writing and provides some steps they can take to support literacy at home.
Mini Parent Workshop
Multilingual Toolkit and SEAL
These mini-workshops provide useful strategies for parents to use at home.
Family Literacy: Multilingual Video Series
Colorín Colorado/WETA Public Broadcasting
These multilingual videos offer ideas on how families can support their child's literacy through activities at home, regardless of families' own literacy levels.