Parents are important stakeholders in their children’s education; they are often agents of educational change as they join a school community with social needs that tend to mirror general social trends, which should not be overlooked by school staff (Enever & Moon, 2009). This article focuses on the needs of newly-arrived families in the initial stages of joining a new school and suggests that a solid understanding of their needs is the best way to warmly welcome them into the school community.
Read more about home-school partnerships
Building relationships
A family’s background, their level of language proficiency in English, and their cultural values will affect their understanding and processing of information in a school context that may be completely new to them. Remembering each EAL family is a unique entity with their own experiences and background helps teachers adopt a more empathetic approach towards their inclusion to the school community.
According to Shumow (1997), a good understanding of their unique background is the first step towards garnering their support as an interested party in their children’s education. It also motivates them to become productively involved in their children’s education regardless of their background (Epstein, 2002).
Building a relationship of trust with an EAL family will reinforce the family’s feelings of belonging to a school community. When adults feel that they belong, it is easier for children to feel more integrated as well. Fantuzzo, et.al (2006) points out that the home environment influences the way a child perceives education or functions in school.
Find out how to involve EAL parents in their children’s education
What do new EAL parents need to know?
So, how can teachers make EAL parents feel confident and valued from day one? Let’s start by trying to understand their needs. Here is a list of practical information that new EAL parents will need at the first stages of joining a new school. Relaying this information in simple language accompanied by visuals or translating it into different languages, where possible, would make a huge difference for EAL parents with little English.
- Key contact information (e.g. office, class teachers)
- School routines: drop-off/pick-up times, uniform expectations, school lunch system
- Term dates and holidays
- Behaviour policy and how the school supports wellbeing
- How to communicate with the school: parent-teacher meetings, translation services, use of apps
- How to get involved: parent coffee mornings, PTA events, volunteer opportunities
You can find out more about this, as well as a useful template agenda for an EAL parents' workshop in our resource that can be downloaded by clicking on the buttons at the top or bottom of this article.
What else can teachers do to help?
Here is a list of recommended practices teachers may need to consider. You will also find a comprehensive guide on how to organise an EAL parents’ workshop in our downloadable resource.
| Recommended practices |
Why is this important? |
| Offer welcome meetings or informal drop-ins with interpreters where needed. |
Answering questions from day one lays a foundation and helps build a relationship. |
| Introduce school routines, school values and expectations in a way that is clear and accessible to EAL families. |
There may be significant differences in school timetables and routines across different countries and cultures. |
| Deploy bilingual members of staff or pupils to facilitate communication where possible. |
Ensures understanding and access to important information. Use of their home language creates feelings of belonging and safety. |
| Use visuals, translated documents, and flyers. |
Visuals reinforce comprehension. Using their home language keeps them motivated and engaged, and reduces stress. |
| Be patient and open. |
Building trust takes time, especially given the cultural differences. |
| Organise parent workshops, coffee mornings etc. |
Allows for connection amongst families. Helps families feel less isolated. |
| Pair new EAL families with established families who speak the same language or have been through similar experiences. |
Provides social and practical support. Helps families feel more confident navigating the new school system. |
Across Cultures’ Community Village is an adult ESOL learning programme that uses image as the language of instruction, making it accessible to learners of any mother tongue. The programme helps parents build their knowledge of English and gain a better understanding of the language needed to communicate with schools. Register for a free demo and trial here.
Working closely with EAL families, and helping them support their children’s learning, benefits the school, the families but, first and foremost, the EAL children themselves. This article talks about how to support an EAL child’s education at home.
