Up and Away - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

14
4. School – home communication
It is important to make invitations, letters, notices of events, forms, procedures, etc. as clear as possible
for parents who have little English. Time and thought should be given to find the best means of
communicating with consideration given to the effective use of visuals through pictures, clipart, and
website images. Invitations, letters, forms and so on can also be made understandable by getting another
parent who speaks the language to explain.
Improving school – home communication can be achieved in a number of ways.
Use visuals:
For clear enrolment procedures and forms.
For clear invitations to parent teacher
meetings.
For reports.
For clear invitations to school events – plays,
Christmas party, school open day, carol
service, etc.
In a picture-based booklet about the school
giving information about times, routines,
schedules, etc.
For regular bulletins on all aspects of school
life.
School letters and notes, including notes
about the work being done with the pupil in
class.
The language support teacher can help
communication by:
Attending school occasions and events.
Meeting newcomer parents on an informal,
open-door basis.
Greeting newcomer parents as they drop and
collect their children.
Encouraging newcomer parents to use the
language support room as a meeting place.
Explaining school letters and notes.
Using the school newsletter as a resource in
class so that pupils can tell their parents.
Organise:
Regular meetings between individual parents,
the language support teacher and the class
teacher.
Informal meetings, or coffee mornings, with
all newcomer parents. These are invaluable
for gradually informing parents about
education in Ireland, their child’s progress and
the expectations of the school.
Monthly open afternoons for parents to view
their child’s work (using the European
Language Portfolio) and to discuss progress
with the language support teacher.
Meetings between representatives of, for
example, the local Muslim community and
new Muslim parents.
A visit to the local mosque followed by lunch
there.
A session with a local librarian on how to use
the library.
Also:
If possible, translate information booklets
into the languages of the newcomer parents.
When necessary use informal interpreters to
support communication.
Access newspapers and books in different
languages to be made available to newcomer
parents.
Remind mainstream teachers to make extra
time for parents who have difficulty
communicating fluently.
Communicate regularly with the home-school
liaison teacher.