1. Empowering Parents

2. Ideas to improve parent engagement in four areas: Helping the classroom teacher Creating an ELL Parent Night Positioning the ESL teacher as a resource Promoting cultural awareness

3. Helping the classroom teacher The ESL teacher shouldn’t be the only one communicating with the family

4. Share what you know Train staff how to use interpreters and translators Explain importance of native literacy Clarify and simplify

6. Assign a buddy

7. Give classroom teachers ownership of parent contacts Provide information before unfamiliar holidays

8. Encourage native literacy with both staff and your ELL parents

9. Parent Teacher Conferences Schedule with interpreters Give reminders Allow extra time Avoid educational jargon Explain what you expect of parents Ask parents questions about their concerns Facilitate other services & programs

10. At Open House: Provide hands-on activities to complete with students Provide tasks for parents

11. Feed back is always appreciated!

12. Creating an ELL Parent Night

13. Pick an accessible site Involve your principals Provide interpreters Focus on immediate needs

14. Show how to access resources on the district website

15. Explain the B and P on our lunch menus B – Beef P – Pork

16. Explain report cards & American expectations of parents

17. The school nurse can explain procedures for medicine and sicknesses

18. Again, encourage literacy in the language parents are most comfortable with

19. And…… provide food!

20. The ESL teacher as a resource The ESL teacher should empower the reg ed teachers by sharing her knowledge and tools!

21. Share information Build library collections Suggest needed professional development Make translations accessible Know the supporting agencies

22. Provide interpreters for all events

23. ESL field trips build background

24. Check local museums and attractions for scholarships and corporate sponsors

25. Work with community partners SHIM Family Center Afterschool Program

26. Share community resources

27. Great resources by Diane Staehr Fenner Common Core for English Learners Equity Audit Consideration Questions to Ask: To What Degree… Strengths Actions Role of ESL Teacher Are ESL Teachers working as experts, advocates, and consultants? Are they effectively collaborating with general education teachers in implementing the CCSS? Instructional materials & curriculum Are CCSS-based instructional materials and curriculum appropriate for ELs? Professional development Does PD focus on preparing all teachers to implement the CCSS for ELs? Assessment Are teachers aware of the demands of CCSS assessments for ELs? Do they adjust instruction accordingly? EL parent outreach Are EL parents aware of implications of the CCSS and CCSS- aligned assessments? Teacher evaluation Is teacher evaluation for all teachers inclusive of ELs accessing the CCSS?

28. Promoting cultural awareness Go beyond the multicultural festival Storytellers from different cultures Open House provides opportunities to share food, music or dance

29. Students are our best resources! “You may walk past me in the hall every day but do you know why I am here?” Teach their language Students will also know what talents parents can share

30. Involve students in clubs and sports

31. Share successes with school board

32. Encourage classroom read-alouds that are relevant to ELLs in the room Find and suggest culturally relevant books to librarian

33. Use community events to educate and strengthen school relationships

34. Make parents feel welcome any time & they will become your allies in education!