Making connections with students' families is important, as I believe a home-school partnership is essential to helping a student learn and grow. This partnership can look a bit different with English learner families as communication can be a barrier. Luckily with advances in technology and the ability to use translation apps, communication is possible.
I taught a little boy last year whose family came from the war-torn country of Ukraine. They came to live with their cousins and struggled with speaking and understanding English. The dad was able to understand if I spoke very slowly and tried to use limited words, but the mom struggled with understanding what we were saying. I started to use Google Translate on my phone for when I was having a conversation with them. I noticed immediately that the mom could then actively participate in the conversations and was very happy.
Keeping the communication lines open is important so parents can understand the learning that is happening in the classroom.
Additionally, it is crucial to expose families to resources and support within the community, to ensure that their holistic needs are being met. Sharing these connections will help families transition into the newer community and build relationships with other community members outside of school.
As educators, we want to build strong communities and part of this responsibility comes with ensuring that families are properly supported as well. If a student is struggling with learning to read and you know that parents are also facing language barriers, helping them connect to support can make a significant difference.
Remember, research and practice have shown the importance of taking the time to learn about your families. Learning their backgrounds, making them feel welcome through use of bilingual books and practical ways to communicate through use of technology (Reading Rockets et al., n.d.).
Reference
Reading Rockets, Colorín Colorado, & Breiseth, L. (n.d.). Connecting with ELL families. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/english-language-learners/connecting-families