Troy Schools to Help Parents of English Language Learners

Submitted by Troy School District 30-C

Students at Troy Community School District 30-C come from many different cultural backgrounds, and English is not always their first language. In fact, many of their parents speak only the language of their country of origin. This can present challenges when the parents cannot understand their children’s homework assignments, bus schedules, classroom activities and information presented in parent-teacher conferences.

To help parents of the district’s English Language Learners, or ELL students, better understand their children’s school experience, Troy teachers are beginning new initiatives designed to help bridge the gap between family and school.

“The parents want to learn more about their children’s school,” said Troy Shorewood Elementary School ELL Specialist Arlene Roderick, “and we know that the more involved parents are with the school, the more the student will grow, and the better he or she will perform academically.”

To better embrace parents of ELL students at all of Troy’s seven schools, Roderick is spearheading parent workshops that will be held throughout the year. The September workshop focused on how to choose appropriate level books to read at home, what the students will be doing this year in school and how to sign up for family activities.

At the October workshop, parents may volunteer to serve as mentors to new ELL families and will learn how to become involved in their child’s school. How to get the most out of parent-teacher conferences will be discussed in November.

Instructional workshops for ELL parents will begin in January. There will be an ongoing workshop for English for adults, a workshop to enhance understanding of math and another workshop on computers and technology, which will teach basic usage of computers, how to establish and check email, how to use classroom-based web sites and how to prepare and save a document.

“Another advantage of our ELL parental involvement program,” Roderick said, “is that it can give them adult peers – other parents who have similar backgrounds and heritages to grow with in our community.”

“Our ELL parent programs will continue to support our students with their acquisition of English,” said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Anne Gmazel, “and will also ultimately increase their academic performance on the new Illinois learning standards.”