Objectives:
- Identify the sociocultural influences on English language learners. (InTASC 4)
- Discuss the impact of bilingualism and home language use. (InTASC 4)
- Examine parental and community sources for aiding English acquisition. (InTASC 10)
- Explain how to cultivate home and school partnerships. (InTASC 10)
Assignments / ELL Families and Schools
Using the electronic resources above plus articles from the GCU eLibrary, write an essay of 750-1,000 words in which you discuss the interaction between ELL families and the schools. Include information about the following:
1. Sociocultural influences on ELLs
2. Bilingualism and home language use
3. Parental and community resources for English acquisition in your area
4. How you and your school can improve home and school partnerships with ELL families
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
Topic Material:
Lecture Note1. ESL-223N Lecture 8
Read Lecture 8.
Scaffolding between ELL Families and Schools
Introduction
The following from a conversation between two teachers after a parent-teacher night; Peggy is disappointed that only a couple of minority parents showed up to her class and professes, "They don't think much of education" (Faltis, 2006, p. 201). Julia tries to counter with an explanation of the multiple factors that affect parent involvement and offends Peggy.
"Are you saying I am a racist? Well, I am not. I have Mexican friends I went to college with. I eat Chinese food. I just happen to believe that kids need to learn English. Hanging on to their old ways is not going to help them," Peggy argues. Julia knows she is unknowingly clinging to a belief system that differentiates people on the basis of how well they conform to a system set up to reward mainstream, middle-class values, and behaviors at the expense of children and families who come from working-class and, often, non-English-speaking homes.
"I disagree, Peggy. Your characterizations of English learners as lazy, as eating weird food, and as requiring worksheets while other students do fun things smacks of racism. These children deserve better than what you are giving them." That said Julia bids farewell and looks for a friendly face (Faltis, 2006, pg. 202).
Parent involvement supports student success but the structures for typical parent involvement derive from middle-class, English speaking ideologies. Working class and immigrant parents of English language learners' parents are unfamiliar with these hidden rules due to unparallel educational opportunities, and look to schools for opportunities for their children to learn English and academic content. Building bridges between home and school relies on cooperation between parents, teachers, and the school (Faltis, 2006).
Sociocultural Factors and Cultivating Home-School Partnerships
Funds of Knowledge is a theoretical framework developed by the collaboration of researchers, teachers, and parents of English language learners. The concept which initiated this partnership came from the notion that working-class Latino students' households were rich in knowledge where students learned functioning strategies and skills of well-being (Gonzalez, Moll, & Amanti, 2005). The relationships were bridged between school and home when teachers made home visits with the intention to learn from the contexts students' came from. These were not authoritative, instructional visits from the teachers to parents, but rather a mutual learning experience that led to mutual trust. Teachers then collaborated with other teachers to adapt curriculum to include background knowledge of students and inviting parents to be guest speakers. Funds of Knowledge became a transformative approach between the school, parents, and teachers supporting culture as a dynamic process not reduced to dances, food, folklore, or one time of the year. Teachers also learned to recognize linguistically and culturally diverse working-class minority households as able to contribute to the students academic and language development rather than accuse the households of lacking educational interest (Gonzalez, Moll, & Amanti).
Bilingualism and Home Language Use
The notion that English language learners who speak English at home and school will increase academic achievement in English is misleading and contradicts most research on bilingualism. Actually, if parents are speaking to students in a language that they feel more comfortable with, they will still support students' language development at school. English alone cannot make a student successful, especially if parents do not speak English well. Many factors contribute to learning English such as proficiency in native language, access, quality of instruction, personality, and learning style (Walqui, 2000). When it comes to bilingualism, learning Spanish at home while acquiring English in school is most effective when parents of English learners read, speak, and write with students in the native language (Walqui, 2000). Students who practice reading, writing, and speaking in their native language and improve native language proficiency at home support their opportunity for developing academic language at school (Krashen, 1985; Cummins, 1981; Crawford, 2004). When English learners acquire Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) skills in Spanish, there are more academic experiences to transfer when learning academic content and English (Cummins, 1981).
Multi-Level Approach to Home-School Relationships
Faltis (2006) proposes a multilevel approach toward inviting parents to become a part of the school community. There is not a recipe-like model for transforming the barriers between school and home. Each school has unique characteristics which need to be addressed and the success of using a multilevel approach depends on the families, teachers, schools, and community members. Four levels to increase parental and community participation in schools begins with level one which is to initiate contact between teachers and parents as modeled in the Funds of Knowledge study. The second level expands the content into a reflective process about supporting the teachers', parents', and students' participation through continuous communication and feedback. Once parents have been invited to schools and provided the opportunity to learn about school activities, the third level is to participate in school activities creating a bridge between home and school. Once parents feel engaged in on-going activities with the school, then there can be a transition into level four (Faltis, 2006). At the fourth level, a sense of empowerment initiates participation at many levels bridging the gap between home and school in favor of learning. Building a bridge between home and school may also include the community. Falis' (2006) multilevel approach can also be used to encourage a community and school relationship. When most parents reach level four, then it is inevitable for the community to be invited in the process of learning.
Conclusion
As the African proverb states, it takes a village to raise a child. Although many teachers do not live in the urban schools populated with high numbers of working-class, non-English speakers, it is important that teachers become well aware and conscious of the needs and influences the community, home, and school play on the students learning experiences. Funds of Knowledge is a success story of a neighborhood school in Tucson, AZ, and a collaboration of teachers, researcher, and parents to build bridges that fit the community. It will depend highly on the neighborhood, school, community, families, and most importantly, the teacher. There are responsibilities teachers have to connect new learning to students' background experiences, past learning experiences, and to facilitate meaningful lessons which will provide English learners the opportunity to acquire grade level academic content and language simultaneously. Reflecting back to the narrative in the introduction, which teacher would be most effecting in building bridges over cementing barriers? Peggy or Julia?
References
Crawford, J. (2004). Educating English learners: Language diversity in the classroom (5th ed.). Los Angeles: Bilingual Education Services.
Cummins, J. (1981). The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. In California State Department of Education (Ed.), Schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework. Los Angeles: California State University/ Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center.
Faltis, C. (2006). Teaching English language learners in elementary school Communities: A Joinfostering approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Gonzalez, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (2005). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms.
Krashen, S. D, (1985). The input hypothesis: issues and implications. London: Longman.
Walqui, A. (2000, September). Contextual factors that affect learning a second language. ERIC Digest (EDO-FL-00-05). Retrieved on December 6, 2006 from
Electronic Resource1. Tapping into Community Funds of Knowledge
Read "Tapping into Community Funds of Knowledge," by Genzuk (1999).
2. Exploring the Educational Involvement of Parents of English Learners
Vera, E. M., Israel, M., Coyle, L., Cross, J., Knight-Lynn, L., Moallem, I., & ... Goldberger, N. (2012). Exploring the Educational Involvement of Parents of English Learners. School Community Journal, 22(2), 183-202.
3. Funds of Knowledge: Learning From Language Minority Households
Read "Funds of Knowledge: Learning From Language Minority Households," located on the National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning website.