6 tips for communicating with emerging bilingual families

Key points:

Experienced educators understand that students thrive when their families are actively involved in their education.

This is particularly crucial as we face the challenges of helping students recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic. One demographic that deserves special attention in terms of family communication is emerging bilingual (EB) families. Federal data reveals significant shift in K-12 enrollment, with EB students will make up 10 percent of K-12 students in 2020 (and closer to 20 percent in California and Texas), a figure that is expected to continue increasing. In terms of impact on teachers, 64 percent have at least one EB student. in his classroom.

The challenge of chronic absenteeism

One notable challenge we face is the elevated risk of chronic absenteeism among students who are EB. While EB students before the pandemic had some of the highest attendance rates, during and after the pandemic Those numbers have plummeted., deeply impacting his academic career. It is especially stark in high schools, where studies indicate that EB high school students have a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent, compared to 18 percent of their non-EB peers in the same grade.

The Vital Role of Parent Communication in Student Success

Understanding the vital role of effective communication with parents in promoting student success is paramount. When adults in the home actively participate in the education of their students, this goes beyond the positive impact; substantially improves attendance and academic results. This partnership between educators and parents in the learning journey is the cornerstone of a child’s success, fostering an environment where students can not only excel academically but also receive the support and resources necessary for their overall growth and development.

For this reason, it is crucial to recognize and overcome the barriers that prevent communication with emerging bilingual families:

• Language barriers: Language differences can hinder meaningful communication between educators and emerging bilingual families, making it difficult for families to stay informed about their children’s school experiences.
• Cultural fit: Many emerging bilingual families are navigating a new cultural and educational landscape. Adjusting to a new system can be overwhelming and affect your involvement in your child’s education.
• Socioeconomic factors: Financial pressures, often experienced by emerging bilingual families, may require older students to work part-time to support their families. This may result in missed school days. It may also mean that EB parents have more difficulty attending school events, whether due to difficulties with childcare, lack of transportation, or inflexible work schedules.

If we want to improve the attendance, well-being, and academic performance of EB students, we have to start by building a strong bridge between home and school.

Six strategies for effective communication and participation

To address these challenges and encourage better school attendance and engagement among EB students and their families, schools can implement the following strategies:

1. Involve families in the learning process.: Teachers can engage families by providing regular updates on their children’s progress and performance, inviting them to school events, and soliciting feedback on their children’s education. This two-way communication can build trust and support student success.
2. Use a communications platform with automatic translation: Employ a platform that automatically translates texts and emails into the family’s native language, ensuring effective individual communication between parents and educators.
3. Use direct and clear language.: When communicating with families with EB, use clear and direct language, avoiding jargon or highly technical words that may not translate accurately.
4. Use multiple types of communication.: Recognize that different families have different communication preferences. Use multiple methods to communicate, considering each family’s preferred mode for convenient participation.
5. Encourage open and frequent communication.: Encourage parents to reach out if they have questions or concerns to foster a trusting relationship.
6. Share specific examples of student progress or challenges.: Use a communication program that displays student data to provide concrete examples of a student’s performance or areas of growth.

To truly support our most vulnerable students, it is essential to renew our communication approach. This change begins with recognizing the critical role that parent communication plays in student success. Rather than perceiving school-home communication simply as a conduit of information, we must approach it as an integral component of teaching and learning.

Adopting these strategies allows schools to close gaps, foster stronger relationships, and improve attendance and academic outcomes for some of the most vulnerable students entering the American K-12 education system.