Student populations are becoming more diverse and schools need to begin to foster an educational environment that is culturally aware enough to include all ethnic backgrounds in the classroom. Becoming more cognizant of the many cultures and ethnic groups that make up the student body will not only encourage children to seek out and learn about people and places that are foreign to them, but create an inviting and inclusive learning experience in which every child may participate to the best of his or her ability. This includes maintaining a focus on parental engagement as well, schools can go one step further in their effort towards culturally responsive teaching by developing a method for parental involvement, particularly with children who hail from families that are underserved in the community. Studies have shown that a growing percentage of Hispanic students are part of families where the parents completed only a portion of their own education. In addition, many Hispanic parents have a difficulty with access to teachers due to cultural and language difficulties that may exist. Some of them may also be wary of initiating or continuing any contact with the school due to their legal status.

Cultural awareness isn’t only about tolerance of other cultures in the classroom it also requires a knowledge of the specific backgrounds and barriers of the families of minority students. Hispanic parents decline to keep communication with teachers and school staffs for a variety of reasons and teachers should be trained in how to properly navigate these issues. A number of these families don’t feel welcome at the school, they are uncomfortable in social interactions with teachers, or believe that the school does not hold the same values as they do for the well being of their child. There’s a perception among some families that the school treats their children differently than others because they come from low-income backgrounds or live in public housing. Proper cultural awareness requires that teachers are equipped to navigate these matters successfully in order to steer the children towards positive and meaningful academic outcomes. The value of training teachers in cultural awareness is found in the effect it can have on the student body from all walks of life.

Many schools and programs offer bilingual support from teachers who have learned the language of the majority of English Language Learners in the classroom and they make a concerted effort to engage with the parents of these children in their native tongue. It’s a way to acknowledge the sensitivity of the family while also attempting to bring them into the learning process of the student in order for that child to achieve his or her goals in class.

The Latino Family Literacy Project can help your school with being more culturally aware. This award-winning program has years of experience working with teachers and culturally diverse students and parents. If you’re interested in finding more information about this program schedule a training meeting. They offer both online webinar training and in person workshops.

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The post The Value of Training Teachers in Cultural Awareness appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.

Family literacy means parents and their children learning together. Developing family literacy is one of our most important educational goals. When we attain family literacy, we help ensure the academic achievement of our children. We learned so much during COVID-19 school closures about what is needed to support families at home!

To start with, these three factors need to interact to attain family literacy goals:
1) the educational level of parents
2) parent involvement
3) the academic success of their children

Each area depends on the other two in order to achieve effective results. Improving family literacy means focusing on working with parents to teach them how to help their children learn. This is one way to improve the educational level of the parents while involving them in their children’s school. As parents begin to work with their children, they may begin to see an improvement in the achievement levels of their children.

The very essence of family literacy is to bring the parents and children together in the school setting. That’s why we aim to include the following four best practices in our approach to family literacy:

• Provide a set of stimulating interactive activities for parents and children
• Train parents in reading and English-language development so they can be active partners in their children’s learning
• Demonstrate to parents the strong connection between literacy and school success for their children
• Use culturally appropriate reading materials for children

These four core components are the basis of our best practices model that leads to success in family literacy. Best practices are those actions proven to lead to reliable results.

When The Latino Family Literacy Project presents its webinar training, it does so with the idea of having these best practices as the core components. We make the family the center of the work. From that center, we build concentric circles of knowledge and influences.

Everything flows from the home and then to parent involvement in the school, which includes language development, socioeconomic influences, and the community. The final outermost circle represents the world beyond school.

The post Proven Best Practices for Family Literacy appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.