Step Beyond Traditional Activities to Engage Non-English-Speaking Parents

To expand the circle of parents involved in your school and parent organization, you may have to find new and different ways of engaging families. This is especially true for non-English-speaking parents. Here are a few tips:

• Understand their culture. Learn how parents of different cultures view and interact with educators. Not all parents view the role of school in the same way.
• Encourage involvement beyond meetings. Provide other opportunities besides typical Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings for parents to be more involved. For example, encourage parents to serve as chaperones on field trips or invite them to help in planning cultural celebrations.
• Provide skill-building opportunities. Schedule activities that will give parents skills to help their own children be more successful in school.
• Emphasize the "return on investment." Busy people want to know "what's in this for me." Show parents how they or their children will benefit through the investment of time.
• Identify bilingual parents willing to serve as facilitators. Bilingual parents can play an important role in welcoming those who do not speak English, and they can serve as translators for meetings and other school functions.
• Provide visual signs of welcome in other languages. Something as simple as welcome signs in parents' native languages can make a positive first impression and add to an inclusive climate.
• Remove reasons for not participating. Take away reasons for not attending by providing food, child care, or other supports to parents.
• Don't forget the communication "basics." The most effective communication creates a two-way connection and gives parents an opportunity to provide input.

Adapted from the National School Public Relations Association's Principal Communicator (August 2010).