For most English Language Learners, the students' native language is almost always the dominant language used for communication purposes in the household. Depending on the program structure of the student, this poses a challenge for the student when he or she is asked to complete an assignment completely in English. More specifically, if the student needs assistance with the task, both the student and the parent may struggle with the language or text of the assignment. This article from the Journal of Multicultural Education suggests ways in which technology or Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) can help both student and parent to complete assignments and collaboratively practice English skills without the frustration of looking up every other word in the dictionary.
Computers can provide students with a wide range of supports ranging from the development of writing skills to vocabulary instruction. When used correctly, CAI can support and supplement the curriculum being used, while offering ELLs alternative approaches to content instruction.
What I found to be most effective about this article is the "Activities to Encourage Parent Involvement with School Activities" section which offers bulleted activities or suggestions for supporting parental involvement in your classroom or school. The authors of the article suggest that through the use of computers, whether it be using e-mail, websites, webquests, programs, etc., students, parents and teachers have more opportunities for open communication and collaboration, which in turn, supports students' language development and overall academic achievement.
Link to full text article by Green (2005)
Colorin Colorado - Bilingual Website for teachers and parents
I really like the idea of using bilingual websites for homework so that parents can be more involved in their students education. I think parental involvement is very important even if the parents only speak the native language. In this way ELLs, even those not in bilingual classrooms can have academic language (CALPS) in their native language supported. I'm excited to learn that technology can help support students in this way.
ReplyDeleteI think that the idea of using technology to improve communication between home and school is a great idea, but I guess I'm still stuck on the practical application of that when there is no translation happening. I can write an email in English, but most of my students' parents, who are newcomers to the country and don't speak English at all, don't have email. I'm kind of old-fashioned I guess, because communication with parents is just one thing that I don't want to take the human factor out of. I keep thinking of freetranslation.com, where it translates, but messes up the tense or pronoun, and nothing is ever really a "human translation." Then again, not everyone has a translator around. I am lucky enough to have a 1:1 aide in my class who is bilingual and translates all of our notes, phone calls, and parent conferences so that we always get the correct message across and that the parent feels connected to an actual person in the classroom with her child. In the end, it's hard for me to state a definite opinion on this one, because there are certainly pros and cons when it comes to communication - do we connect MORE with technology, or do we LOSE an element of human connection in the process?
ReplyDeleteInvolving parents of ELL learners must be a huge struggle for teachers. In my observations I agree that the native tongue is often the sole language of the home. Students are often burdened with being interpreters for a whole range of situations and must help navigate the English-speaking world for their parents. This puts added stress on students and often takes away from their schedules. Sometimes I think there should be mandatory programs for parents as well to become ELL's, not for any "In our country, speak the language" attitudes but just to be able to help their children.
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