The advantages of partnering with families have been proven to be invaluable for a child’s social and academic development and success over time (Epstein & Associates, 2019). So, how we can successfully engage families of English learners and build long and lasting partnerships with them on behalf of their child’s success in school and in their lives?

Just as we plan and implement culturally and linguistically responsive instruction for the unique needs of our English learners, we must be intentional in engaging in family partnerships.

Our quest for engaging families as our partners can be propelled by providing students with multiple opportunities to demonstrate and celebrate their learning and various cultural identities with families and other stakeholders.

Demonstrate Learning

Student events that demonstrate what students have learned support families to understand their child’s education. They also empower students to take actions that support their own agency, social-emotional and academic growth, and capacity to collaborate.

These include:

• Curriculum fairs
• Plays
• Poster presentations
• Any creative ideas students and teachers have for demonstrating what’s been learned
  

DO THIS ➣➣➣

Before the Event

• Brainstorm ideas with students on what the event might look like virtually and in-person.
• Create invitations with students and translate into the various languages needed.

Practicing for the Event

• Provide opportunities for students to practice their presentations. (Videorecording is helpful.)
  

At the Event

• Provide families time to acknowledge students’ showcase. For example, create a poster where families can use Post-It notes to write affirmations for their child and others.

Reference

Epstein, J., & Associates. (2019). School, family and community partnerships: Your handbook for action (4th ed.). Corwin.

About This Content

This excerpt is from the TESOL Zip Guide: Essentials for Engaging Families of English Learners, by Debbie Zacarian, EdD. This guide is a compact and easy-to-use six-panel resource for English language educators working with kindergarten through adult English learners.

The guide presents the six fundamentals for engaging, building, and sustaining lasting partnerships with families of English learners, practical applications for educators to engage families as partners, strategies for English learners’ families to flourish, and valuable tips and activities for English language educators to start using right away. This title also includes a companion website with online resources.