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Parent Involvement
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From The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) and The Center for Applied English Language Acquisition (CAELA)
As the adult English language learner population continues to grow, many adult literacy and family literacy programs are experiencing new or rapidly expanding ELL populations and are not fully equipped with resources to serve families learning English. This is particularly true for many faith-based and community-based providers in rural areas, as well as other small, locally funded projects. Many of these providers lack experienced staff trained to work with adult English language learners, and lack both resources and infrastructures. In response to this need, the Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners was developed. This Toolkit provides needed support and serves as a resource to adult education and family literacy instructors who are new to serving English language learner adults and families. The Toolkit provides a variety of materials to help practitioners begin to meet the language and literacy development needs of the ELL students they serve through the following components: responses to Frequently Asked Questions; a first-day orientation guide; lesson plans; and research-to-practice papers on critical topics. To download the Toolkit in English in its entirety, click here.
The
National Council of La Raza is launching
an early literacy campaign ("Lee y Serás")
targeting the Spanish speaking population,
in an effort to close Latino achievement
gaps. Lee y Serás emphasizes
learning, culture and family, and demonstrates
how everyday at-home activities such as
singing, cooking and storytelling help
young children develop early language skills.
The program includes a dynamic, multi-media
toolkit for community organizations, workshops
for parents and caregivers, training for
community leaders to support and advocate
for Latino children, and online resources
to engage families and communities nationwide . Th e full article is available at: http://www.nclr.org/content/news/detail/33916/.
 Stop Bullying Now!: Take A Stand Campaign Materials
in Spanish
Spanish
content as been added to the Stop Bullying
Now! Website. Since the campaign’s
inception it has been our goal to reach
as many people as possible with our
messages of bullying prevention.
Adult content on the SBN!
site, including tip sheets for teachers, parents,
health care professionals and other members of
the bullying prevention community, has been translated
and is now available on the Web site at http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov.
PBS
Parents
PBS Parents is one of many features
of "Ready to Learn" -- a cooperative venture
between the U.S. Department of Education and
PBS which integrates online resources and children's
educational television to assist parents and
teachers prepare young children for success in
school.
PBS Parents has materials in both Spanish
and English. Its resources include:
* Issues and Advice, offering Expert Q&A,
tips for parents from TeacherSource, and other
relevant articles for parents.
* Fun & Games, providing parents with educational
activities for children from PBS KIDS, along
with Parent Helpers for ideas on keeping children
active and engaged.
* TV Programs, which offers a parent's point
of view on PBS KIDS programming, including educational
goals and local programming information.
* My PBS Parents, which allows users to manage
custom settings for the web site.
Website in English: http://www.pbs.org/parents/
Website in Spanish: http://www.pbs.org/parents/siteguide/spanish/
Instructional
Materials for English Language Learners The
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has
developed instructional materials targeted
especially to educators ofSpanish-speaking
English language learners (ELLs). In
1991 there were 2.4 school-age ELLs. In
2005, ELLs account for
approximately 6 million Pre-K-12 students,
80 percent of whom are Latino. Furthermore, since Latino ELLs have some
of the lowest academic achievement and
educational attainment levels in the country
the need for instructional help is even
more urgent The words "Colorín Colorado" are
significant because they are part of the
popular and playful ending phrase to virtually
all children’s stories and fairy
tales in Spanish-speaking countries. There
is no literal translation, but it is similar
to "and they lived happily ever after." The name evokes happy memories of reading.
The website features: best instructional
practices for teaching reading and content;
strategies regarding the appropriate placement
and assessment of English language learners;
a toolkit on effective outreach to Hispanic
families; bilingual (Spanish-English) information
for parents on how to help their child
succeed in school; Plus practical, research-based
information on how to help English language
learners read and succeed! For
more, visit the website at http://www.colorincolorado.org.
Parent
Resources - In Spanish The
National PTA has assembled a collection
of useful resources in Spanish to
promote parent involvement. To view the resources, visit: http://www.pta.org/spanish/index.asp.
SPANISH
LANGUAGE RESOURCES AT ED.GOV The U.S. Department of Education
has developed a Spanish-language website
to help Spanish-speaking customers obtain useful
information. The site, which is titled Recursos en
Español (Resources in Spanish), is available
online at www.ed.gov/espanol/bienvenidos/es/index.html. Of particular interest is a link entitled
Publicaciones y Materiales, which contains
information on all of the Department’s
publication that are available in Spanish
through the Education Publications Center
(http://www.ed.gov/espanol/publicaciones/es/index.html). The site also offers links to Web sites
and provides toll-free numbers where more
information on each topic may be obtained.
Multilingual
Tips for Parents and Practitioners to Help
Children Develop Good Talking and Listening
Skills [Source:
Reading Rockets News, Apr 2005] The Literacy
Trust in the UK has developed several one-page "Talk to
Your Baby" tip sheets on how parents and caregivers
can help children develop good speaking and listening
skills. Each is bilingual. They are available in
Chinese, Arabic, Urdu, French, Tamil, and other
languages.
For more information, visit: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/quicktips.html
Spanish
Translation of "Put Reading First: Helping
Your Child Learn to Read - A Parent Guide" LA
LECTURA ES LO PRIMERO: COMO AYUDAR A SU HIJO
A APRENDER A LEER
The
Partnership for Reading is pleased to announce
the Spanish translation of the popular "Put
Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to
Read – A Parent Guide." This
brochure provides a quick overview of the
findings of the National Reading Panel for
parents and gives ideas for what to expect
from a school's reading program based on
evidence from the research (preschool through
grade 3). The brochure also suggests ways
parents can reinforce reading instruction
at home with everyday activities and interactions.
The Partnership is a collaborative effort
of the National Institute for Literacy and
its federal partners, the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development, the
U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
To download this document, go to: http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/pdf/PRF_espan_.pdf.
Guides to Help Latino Parents Improve Their
Children's Education The Education Trust
recently released “Improving
Your Child’s Education: A Guide for Latino
Parents.” This
guide offers Latino parents a number of suggestions
on how they can get involved in and be better advocates
for the education of their children. Information
is also offered so that Latino parents have the tools
to exercise their rights.
To view the guide, visit:
http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/1213B912-0419-4504-8D7E-414106C22D5C/0/imprvgeduLatino.pdf
To view the guide in Spanish, visit:
http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/CCF44357-B41F-4483-BB57-D2F3D25565B9/0/imprvgeduLatino_Espanol.pdf
"Hablemos En Confianza"
Bilingual Materials Initiated in 2001 by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), within the US Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS), the Hispanic/Latino Initiative
has involved the Latino community in the development
of culturally-appropriate materials for parents,
children and community leaders.
One of the products developed
through the initiative is "Hablemos en Confianza,"
a bilingual (English/Spanish)Web site of communication
materials designed to initiate dialogue between Spanish-speaking
Hispanic/Latino parents and their children about the
dangers of substance abuse. Recently posted articles
include:
- Keeping Our Youth in School
- Help Your Child Reach the
Stars: Get Involved in Your Child's Education
- Back to School Basics: Helping
Your Child Get Ready for School
The address for "Hablemos
en Confianza" is: http://hablemos.samhsa.gov/
Helping Your Child Series The Helping
Your Child publication series aims to provide
parents with the tools and information necessary
to help their children succeed in school and life.
These booklets feature practical lessons and activities
to help their school-age and preschool children
master reading, understand the value of homework,
and develop the skills and values necessary to
achieve and grow. Copies are available to order
online at ED
Pubs. Many teachers find the series to be a
very helpful tool for increasing parental involvement
and give copies to their students' parents. Copies
of the series may be viewed online at http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html?src=rt
or hard copies may be ordered at http://www.edpubs.org/webstore/content/search.asp.
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| General
Parent Involvement |
A
Guide to Online Resources on Family Involvement
A
new guide from the Harvard Family Research
Project contains information about what national
organizations are currently doing in family
involvement and home-school partnerships. It
contains Web links to research, information,
programs, and tools about parenting practices
to support children’s
learning and development, home-school relationships,
parent leadership development, and collective
engagement for school improvement and reform.
The resource guide can be used to find out what’s
new in the field, locate national organizations
that support family involvement, and inspire
new ideas. Visit the website at http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/guide.
Free Tips Sheets
for Parents
KSA-Plus Communications and the
W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s ENLACE initiative
have teamed up to present four new resources with
advice on what parents can do at home and at school
to help their children become successful learners.
The new resources (in English and Spanish) include
a parent primer on education in the United States
(designed mainly for immigrant families), and tip
sheets on testing, supplemental education services,
and reading.
To download these publications,
visit: http://www.parents.ksaplus.com
Helping Your Child
Series
The Helping
Your Child publication series aims to provide
parents with the tools and information necessary to
help their children succeed in school and life. These
booklets feature practical lessons and activities
to help their school-age and preschool children master
reading, understand the value of homework, and develop
the skills and values necessary to achieve and grow.
Copies are available to order online at ED
Pubs. Many teachers find the series to be a very
helpful tool for increasing parental involvement and
give copies to their students' parents. Copies of
the series may be viewed online at http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html?src=rt
or hard copies may be ordered at http://www.edpubs.org/webstore/content/search.asp.
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New
Report: Reaching
Out to Diverse Populations: What Can Schools
Do to Foster Family-School Connections?
This
new strategy brief from the Southwest
Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
discusses strategies helpful to schools
that want to broaden and deepen parental
involvement - particularly with families
from diverse cultures - beyond the traditional
fundraising or party-planning activities.
Chris Ferguson, author of the brief,
suggests that research has indicated
that parents, regardless of their ethnicity,
culture, or economic status are interested
in their children's education. "They
just may not know how to help their children
with school matters," she
says, "or they may feel like they don't
have the knowledge or expertise to help
their children with school work." According
to Ferguson, schools can help parents
become more comfortable playing a strong
role in their children's education. Schools
that are successful involving families
are able to build on the cultural values
of families and foster communication
with families. Ferguson also suggests
that successful schools have also created
an inviting environment for families
and often facilitate involvement by providing
transportation, translators, and other
similar services. They can also help
parents learn strategies to support their
children's academic needs. "All schools
can increase their parent and family
involvement," says
Ferguson. "It just takes time and innovative
strategies to develop a strong, two-way
relationship." |
Additional
Parent Involvement Web Sites
Culturally Responsive Parental Involvement:
Concrete Understandings and Basic Strategies
Developed by Hofstra University,
the American Association of Colleges for Teacher
Education, and Metlife Foundation in 2002, this
booklet advocates for a culturally responsive approach
to involving parents, explores misconceptions held
by some educators about culturally diverse families,
and provides concrete steps for engaging diverse
families. This booklet is now available online.
To download this booklet,
visit: http://www.aacte.org/publications/kinggoodwin.pdf
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The Indiana Department
of Education is not responsible for the content, opinions and
advice expressed on external web sites. The content, opinions
and advice are those of the web pages in question, not The Indiana
Department of Education. Linking to a web site does not constitute
an endorsement by The Indiana Department of Education or any
of its employees of the sponsor of the site or the products presented
on the site.
Please direct questions
and comments about the web site to Dara N. López.
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