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Running head: Parents of English Language Learners and Teachers
Parents of English Language Learners and Teachers: Fighting the Barriers
Jessica Ashe
Springfield College

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Parents of English Language Learners and Teachers: Fighting the Barriers
Language is the structure and organization of communication used by a certain
community or country. It is how people interact in their everyday lives. Language is used to
connect with others and share ideas.
However, there are some issues when it comes to language in the educational system.
One issue is the affordability of language programs, which may lead to poor professional
development programs for teachers in order for them to educate English Language Learners
(ELL). Additionally, there is a prevalent issue when it comes to communication between
teachers and parents of English Language Learning students.
Many parents of ELL students may feel unwelcome or unconfident when it comes to
helping their children in school because they do not know the language. There is confusion and
frustration spurred by a major culture shock when entering a new country with a new classroom.
Quite often, schools misunderstand the culture of ELL parents and their families. This can deter
parents from trying to be involved in their child’s education.
They may also be nervous about volunteering in the classroom, which is a key element to
a good parent-teacher relationship. Volunteering in the classroom benefits children in multiple
ways and some say it helps their children academically; therefore, it is important to try and
include parents as best as possible to benefit the students no matter what the parents’ background
may be.
Schools themselves are also at fault for poor communication between parents of ELL
students and teachers because teachers view ELL parents as the problems and not themselves.
Sometimes they fail to understand that the parents are trying and there are other things they can
do as educators to reach out to the families. It is not that the parent is uninterested in their child’s

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education as teachers sometimes assume, but rather the teacher has not made it very easy for the
parents to feel welcomed. In some cases, the teacher has not made themselves available for the
parents to seek help.
Literature Review
Nancy L. Commins, from the University of Denver, explains in her article, “Supporting
Bilingual Learners and their Families: Key Understandings for Pre-Service Teachers and the
Institutions that Prepare Them,” that it has been known for years that parent involvement is key
in a child’s academic achievement, especially that of ELL students. Commins also explains
different roles that parents can take to continuously be involved in their student’s education.
However, cultural and linguistic barriers can make things different and therefore, it is also the
teacher’s duty to be available to the parents for help. The teacher can look for key elements
before the first day of school to welcome parents of ELL students right away. For example, does
the school provide opportunities for parents to observe classes either directly or through videos?
Or, are there welcome phrases, directions, and notices in the major languages spoken by the
students?
By answering questions like the two mentioned above, parents can create a great
welcoming environment for the parents. Commins also took note that when the parents are
successfully involved in their child’s education, the whole family often becomes involved as
well.
Secondly, M. Beatriz Aris Ph.D. and Milagros Morillo-Campbell Ph.D. conducted a
study, which they named “Promoting ELL Parental Involvement: Challenges in Contested
Times,”. Although Aris and Morillo-Campbell (2008) are based in Michigan, their study
branches out to parents across the country. The two discuss the many barriers that parents of

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English Language Learners, or ELL’s, experience throughout the school system through a cross-
sectional study, meaning the study observes a designated population at one point in time or with
a specific time interval. Arias and Morillo-Campbell (2008) found that in the year 2000, the top
three languages spoken by ELL students were Spanish (71.6%), French (3%), and Vietnamese
(3%). The number of ELL students has largely increased since then, therefore with even more
parents of ELL students. The recent study also analyzes the various factors and practices related
to strong parental involvement with ELL’s.
Naturally, research has supported the fact that parental involvement plays a key role in
developing any student’s education. When any parent is positively involved in their child’s
education, the dropout risk is lower, the child is more likely to enjoy their education, and there is
more chance of achievement. However, this study displays that parents of ELL students have a
harder time being actively involved for many reasons.
Arias and Morillo-Campbell (2008) found that there are five main issues when to comes
to ELL parental involvement. There are school- based barriers, the parents have a lack of English
language proficiency, the parental educational level may possibly be low, there are present
disjunctures between school culture and home culture, and finally, logistical issues. As for school
barriers, it was found that a negative school environment can directly affect the parent
involvement among ELL parents because they feel unwelcome. ELL parents report feeling
confused and frustrated due to the lack of knowledge by their child’s teacher(s) who do not
understand the parent. The study also acknowledges that schools are “criticized for limiting their
approaches to traditional efforts at parental involvement,” (Arias and Morillo-Campbell, 2008).
Teachers have not focused on ELL parents enough and in some cases, they have only focused on
parents who seem to need severe support.

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Next, eight women, Elizabeth M. Vera, Marla Susman Israel, Laura Coyle, Joanna Cross,
Laura Knight-Lynn, Isabel Moallem, Gina Bartucci, and Nancy Goldberger all researched the
involvement of parents of ELL students in their study titled, “Exploring the Educational
Involvement of Parents of English Learners,” published in 2012. The study was conducted in
four different school districts, examining two hundred thirty-nine parents in the Midwestern
metropolitan area, from twenty-eight different ethnic backgrounds. These ELL parents were
parents of elementary school students at the time.
Every family in the study was sent a survey, detailing its purpose. Questions were asked
about the parents’ interests, opinions, and experiences. Parents were asked what types of
involvement they have in their child’s education and what types of barriers they face while trying
to be involved as well. All questions were translated into the primary language of the parents’
and students.
The parents who participated in the study expressed that the largest barriers they faced
when it comes to being involved in their child’s education are “linguistic, a lack of familiarity
with the U.S. educational system, and a desire to not interfere with how teachers do their jobs,”
(2012). That being said, parents of ELL students are struggling with the fact that they do not
know English well enough to be involved with their child’s education effectively. They also do
not know the school system of the United States well enough either. Lastly, they are afraid to be
involved for fear of interrupting a teacher’s job. The educational system has not done a very
good job of including parents of ELL students and making them feel welcomed.
It was found that in-home involvement was the easiest type of parent involvement for
parents of ELL students because the were in their comfort zone.

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In the Sheltered Instruction and Family Involvement, or SIFI, study by Cheng-Ting Chen,
Diane W. Kyle, and Ellen McIntyre (2008), participants were put through a selection of different
professional development experiences. These participants were classroom teachers from grades
K-12 across the nation. This project and research were designed to address the issue where many
classroom teachers in the United States feel unprepared to teach ELL students and communicate
with their parents.
This specific study was sheltered, meaning that it would be used “to improve the
academic achievement of English language learners as well as positive family involvement
practices which link to higher achievement for all students,” (2008). As the ELL students were
learning the content within the curriculum, they would also be learning English while doing so.
In order to discuss making contact with families and parents of ELL students, teachers
shared what they did before the study to do so. They shared that they would send letters or notes
home and occasionally call if need be. After this study and discussion of parent involvement and
understanding how positive it can be in a child’s education, one teacher took the initiative where
she would call home as soon as something went well in her classroom, not just if the student was
in trouble.
Discussion
ELL students and their parents are at a disadvantage because of their abilities to speak
another language rather than English when in fact, that should be the case. As educators, this
needs to be valued. Knowing more than one language can provide a world of opportunities in the
job field that is not expressed to ELL students and parents when they come to this country. Upon

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coming to this country, ELL families feel oppressed and unwelcome because of the environment
educators provide, whether it is intentional or unintentional.
It is important to recognize all students, English Language Learners or not, and it is also
important to recognize their parents at the same time because parents and family play key roles
in their child’s education. There is a plethora of resources available to parents and teachers in
order to create a successful educational career for the child and have everything run as smoothly
as possible. Throughout this research process, videos, websites, blogs, and forums were found at
the touch of a button and that is something that should not be ignored. If the resources are
available, take advantage of them and put them to use.
Limitations of These Studies
Demographic Limitations.
These studies were conducted in the United States, therefore not giving a more worldly
view of language learners as a whole. Also, certain studies were only conducted in certain parts
of the United States, for example, the Midwest. These studies also do no reflect how parents of
non-ELL students may perceive any of these circumstances.
Recommendations
As for recommendations, change should start with the educators. It is so easy to plug
something into Google and find answers these days. Teachers can do that. Most schools provide
a laptop, if not, there are libraries. There is no excuse for not trying to make the classroom a safe
and comfortable place for all students and parents, including ELL students and parents. Simple
steps include having a welcome sign on the door that displays the message in multiple languages,
sending home constant newsletters and progress reports, reaching out to ELL specific educators,
and last but not least, having a smile on the educator’s face.

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References
Arias, M., & Morillo Campbell, M. (2008). "Promoting ELL Parental Involvement:
Challenges In Contested Times. Retrieved March, 2016.
Chen, C., Kyle, D. W., & McIntyre, E. (2008). Helping Teachers Work Effectively with
English Language Learners and Their Families. Retrieved March, 2016, from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ798678.pdf
Commins, N. L. (2014). Supporting Bilingual Learners and Their Families: Key
Understandings for Pre-Service Teachers and the Institutions That Prepare Them. Retrieved
April, 2016.
N. (2012). English Language Learners: Culture, Equity and Language. Retrieved April 20,
2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HU80AxmP-U
Westerlund, R. (2015, March 13). What Does Language Have to Do with Social Justice?
Retrieved April 20, 2016, from https://reclaimingthelanguage.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/what-
does-language-have-to-do-with-social-justice/