Parent/Teacher Conferences with ELL Parents

Parent/teacher conferences are crucial for helping students to succeed and grow in their academic journeys.  Holding parent/teacher conferences can be rewarding for kids who are succeeding in school and it’s a great time to review their successes. This good progress is something all parents want and need to hear! But parent/teacher conferences can also prove to be significantly challenging for teachers, … Read More

Federal Education Programs Summary

This piece features several major programs from the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as well as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Title VII-B Education for Homeless Children and Youth) and IDEA (Special Education).  We will give a snapshot of each, which includes funding and purpose. Funding amounts listed are the most currently available from the U.S. Department of Education … Read More

Parents are Untapped Resources for Emergent Bilingual Students

Emergent bilingual students are students who are developing skills in their native language while learning a new, second language.  Additionally, this term is used in place of terms such as Limited English Proficient (LEP), English Language Learners (ELLs), and English as a Second Language (ESL) students, which don’t accurately describe this student population.  Emergent bilinguals are on their way to … Read More

The Latest Research on Latinos and College

College attainment among Latinos has rapidly changed in recent years, which coincides with the increasing number of Latinos in the public school and college systems.  Furthermore, the Latino high school dropout rate has significantly declined and enrollment in college has increased. Read on to learn about some of the latest research on Latinos and college. 1) High School Dropout Rate … Read More

Empowering ELL Parents with Academic Vocabulary

Parents play a leading role in the educational endeavors of their children.  For that reason, parental involvement is crucial in the academic success of their children.  However, oftentimes, immigrant and English Language Learner (ELL) parents don’t have the proper knowledge or academic vocabulary to help their children succeed in school.  School districts and teachers should work together by creating seminars … Read More

3 Tips for Promoting Dual Language Learning with Parents and Kids

Dual language learning involves the instruction of content and literacy in two distinct languages.  The English and Spanish combination is the most predominant type of dual language learning in the United States.  Dual language learning helps English Language Learners (ELLs) foster strong literacy skills and English language skills over an extended period of time.  Likewise, dual language learning helps ELLs … Read More

Current Literacy Rates in America

The United States is currently facing a literacy dilemma.  This critical state of literacy in America isn’t new, but it majorly impacts our children, our society, and our economy.  Despite that comprehensive national literacy studies are not conducted on a yearly basis, the National Commission of Adult Literacy releases occasional reports such as the report from June 2018, which pinpoints … Read More

Newcomer / ESL Support

Throughout the history of our country, people have immigrated to the United States (U.S.) from around the globe seeking a new, better life.  With them, immigrants have brought their cultures, customs, and languages. Said immigrants are known as “newcomers.”  This term refers to any foreign-born student and their families who have recently come into the United States.  Newcomers have a … Read More

Socio-economic Influences in Parent Involvement

Socio-economic capital is a highly valuable resource.  Having social capital is vital in the success of parental involvement and academic success.  Socio-economic capital is an integral part of parental involvement and the home/school partnership.  Research shows that having socio-economic capital gives middle and upper class parents the ability to engage in parental involvement in their children’s academic pursuits.  Therefore, working-class … Read More

Acculturation: Learning to Live in a New Culture

Culture surrounds each and every one of us, just like the air we breathe.  We are so embedded in our own cultures that we oftentimes take our own culture for granted.  It usually isn’t until someone or an event makes us realize that our beliefs about the world and how we behave are not universal.  That person or event opens … Read More