July 25, 2024
This blog is part of a series, created in partnership by the Dual Language Learner Master Plan Advocates, to uplift the areas of need, highlight opportunities for growth, and share solutions and resources in supporting Dual Language Learners in California State Preschool Programs (CSPP), which were identified during recent listening sessions with CSPP teachers and administrators from across the state.
Lead Authors: Dr. Liz Alvarado, Californians Together, and Carolyne Crolotte, M.A., Early Edge California
Contributors: JunHee Doh, M.A., and Karina Suzette Hernandez, M.P.P., Catalyst California
Dual Language Learners (DLLs) are children whose first language is a language other than English or children who are developing two or more languages, one of which may be English. This growing population of children in California’s Early Learning programs and classrooms enriches the learning environment with cultural and linguistic diversity. However, supporting their success requires strong partnerships between families and early educators. Our recent listening sessions with California State Preschool Program (CSPP) teachers and administrators underscored the pressing need for culturally and linguistically responsive family engagement strategies to effectively support DLL children and their families.
Multicultural Family Engagement: A Cornerstone of Student Success
The early childhood education (ECE) field has long recognized that children are a part of families and that relationships with families are an essential aspect of quality ECE. Family engagement is an interactive process where program staff and families work together to build positive, goal-oriented relationships. It is a two-way street built on mutual respect for the roles and strengths each party brings. Understanding families’ cultural beliefs, linguistic practices, and educational priorities is essential for building this trust and meaningful connections.
Building strong relationships with families, by understanding their backgrounds and needs, is the foundation for creating culturally and linguistically affirming early learning environments and fostering successful multicultural family engagement. Each family entering early learning settings carries unique cultural experiences shaped by traditions, country of origin, ethnic identity, and community norms. These factors influence caregiving, educational perspectives, and child-rearing. Recognizing and appreciating these differences allows practitioners to foster a sense of belonging and create culturally and linguistically affirming learning environments where all children can thrive.
Early Childhood Programs: A Hub of Support
ECE programs are uniquely positioned to be a vital source of information and support for multicultural families. Through family engagement, early educators and preschool staff can play a pivotal role in families’ experiences with early learning programs and schools, but some may need additional information, resources, and support to engage culturally and linguistically diverse families.
Family Engagement Challenges
Throughout our listening session discussions, however, CSPP practitioners emphasized challenges related to building relationships with families of DLLs, such as a lack of prompt translation services and inadequate time in their schedule to meaningfully engage with families on a consistent basis. Individuals that expressed more success in their family engagement efforts found ways to ensure that all children and families felt welcome, valued, and supported. “I always like to learn more and help my families and the children that I serve, especially families with children with special needs. They don’t know the system and that is what I assist with,” said one practitioner “The program does not provide this, it is on my own time and I do it on my own to learn from my own students and families.” Another practitioner echoed this sentiment stating, “At the start of the school year, we try to meet the parents individually. I find the time and a way to connect with parents at the beginning of the year…we have to work overtime to find the time, but in the long run it’s better because you make the parents more comfortable with you.”
Practitioners highlighted the importance of institutionalizing and enabling practices that support meaningful culturally and linguistically responsive family engagement. Ideally, these practices provide support to both staff and parents, building powerful partnerships to strengthen the development of thriving, healthy multicultural, multilingual children.
Strategies for Successfully Engaging Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families
Discussions with practitioners revealed several themes related to strategies for successful multicultural family engagement. These themes include:
Conclusion
Engaging with families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, in the context of DLL identification and services, is essential but challenging. It requires, among other things, time, effort, and a willingness to recognize and engage across cultural and linguistic differences. CSPP leadership and staff can prioritize family engagement by allocating time to meaningfully engage with families, providing timely translation services, and investing in professional development that emphasizes reflection and cultural understanding. Implementing these and other culturally and linguistically responsive family engagement strategies will ensure that all children and families feel supported and valued, paving the way for their well-being and academic success.
The following section provides a comprehensive list of valuable multicultural family engagement resources for teachers, administrators, and families.
Resources for Teachers and Administrators:
Through the creation of culturally and linguistically affirming early learning environments, communication and the relationships between families and early educators can be strengthened so that children feel affirmed and their developmental and educational needs are supported in and outside of the classroom.The partnership between families and programs is the bedrock of effective practice—and it must be built as a two-way relationship, invited by, supported by, and embraced by the preschool program staff. The resources below can be used to engage culturally and linguistically diverse families:
Resources for Families:
Families play a critical role in their children’s bilingual development. The following resources for families focus on the benefits of bilingualism as well as tools and strategies for how to support home language development at home.