A Teacher’s View:

Parents’ knowledge of English directly affects child’s success

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009 | 2:47 p.m.

Rene Hill

As we approach another season of state-mandated testing, teachers and students alike are busy preparing in math, science and English. Over the years, scores have increased in math but are dropping in reading and writing.

This is especially problematic in schools with a high percentage of non-native English speakers. The reasons for this drop are complex, and students need to work hard to compensate for their deficits in the language. There are several things that parents can do to help students become more literate in their new language.

One of the biggest problems teachers encounter with some students is the lack of English at home. While it is important to families to preserve their culture and language, it is equally crucial that the children be exposed to as much English language as possible.

This means parents should learn English so they can help their children with school work. There are numerous studies that show a strong correlation between student achievement and parental involvement in education. Our second-language students are falling behind due to the lack of help at home.

Yes, it is difficult to learn a second language when one is older. I learned to speak a foreign language when I was in my 30s and had to work twice as hard as the younger people in the class. The benefits, however, were worth the work.

There are several agencies and churches that provide English classes for free or a small charge. Parents can work with their children to hone their language skills and have access to television, radio and computer programs as added exposure.

The most successful students are those whose parents are working with them to learn to read and speak the language. If you know someone who doesn't speak the language and has school-aged children, encourage them to learn English as an education booster for their children.

In addition, going to the library and checking out English-language books with your child is another way to reinforce literacy. It is important that our children have all the benefits of an education. They struggle when they don't have access to English in the home.

Rene Hill is a special education and former English teacher in the Clark County School District. She can be reached c/o The News, 2360 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074 or editor@hbcpub.com.

Discussion: 11 comments so far…

By ZeddyBear

2/19/09 at 8:35 a.m.

Suggest removal

Learning English is not important in Clark County. Those who don't will just wait for those who only speak English to change. It's the American way!
By redferret

2/19/09 at 9:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

I agree with the article. If parents want their children to succeed, they need to be involved. While math is a universal language, English is not. How can you help your kid with English, History, science, etc, if you can't understand what the book says?
I've even heard parents say they don't want their kids speaking English or watching English television at home. It just seems like they're hobbling their kids.
By floridagirl

2/19/09 at 12:49 p.m.

Suggest removal

My daughter attends a language immersion school in Florida (Panama City Renaissance School). Many families do not speak English well and the children excel at the school. Also, I do not speak Mandarin Chinese or Spanish and my child receives most of her instruction in these languages. She is eight years old and is quite comfortable with algebra; atoms, electron bonding and the periodic table; history of the US through the early 1900s; etc. In addition, she reads and writes significantly above grade level in English. I don't think the issue has much to do with the language the parents speak. Rather the key factors are parental expectations, encouragement and value of education.
By redferret

2/19/09 at 1:29 p.m.

Suggest removal

Meanwhile in the real world with the rest of the parents who don't send their kids to a private school, this is an issue.
By redferret

2/19/09 at 1:56 p.m.

Suggest removal

And by the way, your kid isn't learning History or English in those languages. I checked the website. They get a couple hours of instruction per day in those languages. You make it sound like that's all they are learning in, when at least by their website that is definitely not the case.
By floridagirl

2/19/09 at 3:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

The kids spend 4 hours of instruction in Mandarin Chinese (really a little less if you count recess), one hour in English and one hour in Spanish each school day. Math, science, geography and Mandarin Chinese language arts are taught in Mandarin Chinese. Spanish language arts are taught in Spanish and history and English language arts are taught in English (in one hour per day). My daughter began at the school when she was in kindergarten and will have a Mandarin Chinese vocabulary of approximately 1700 English equivalent words (many more characters) by the end of her third grade year. She can easily read, write and speak in Mandarin Chinese and can go back and forth between the three languages easily. If she and her classmates can develop this level of proficiency in Mandarin Chinese with a little less than 20 hours a week in the language, students who speak no English should be able to reach even higher levels of achievement in a standard English academic program. Also, one of my daughter's classmates came to the school speaking very little English (she joined the school in kindergarten) and by third grade she is reading, speaking and writing in English well above grade level. From what I understand, her parents did not graduate from high school in their native country. Maybe we need to change our expectations. Children really can accomplish amazing things.
By floridagirl

2/19/09 at 4:21 p.m.

Suggest removal

About the private vs. public issue. Our school newsletter just included an article about Singapore public schools (sorry it took me a little while to find it --http://pcrschool.org/news/?p=2915). They have 35 kids in a class and most are learning in a second language. If they can do it in in the public schools in Singapore, it seems like we should be able to do it in public schools here.
By getalife

2/19/09 at 5:15 p.m.

Suggest removal

I have to interact regularly with non-english speaking people. You have no idea how sad it is to try and talk to parents through their kids.

When the parents only listen to non-english radio and watch non-english TV this puts them at a severe handicap.

I am glad their mother language works in their home, but in the real world it's english only.

I used to have non-english employees and my customers couldn't communicate with them so they refused service. I would tell my employees "learn english" and they would tell me "I don't have to". Thank you liberal america, it cost these men their jobs.

A business has to meet the needs of its' customers. Not the other way around.
By jfnance32

2/19/09 at 5:48 p.m.

Suggest removal

They can barely teach English here and people want to add a 2nd language to that task??????
By redferret

2/20/09 at 1:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

And I still say that most people can't afford the marvelous school in Florida. I'm equally sure that the classes are small, they get to cherry pick who gets in, and that the teachers and parents are highly involved.
By floridagirl

2/20/09 at 3:21 p.m.

Suggest removal

Singapore takes kids that speak Chinese at home and educates them in English. They rank in the top three in international testing year after year (the testing is done in English). If they can do it, so can we. Also, I don't know of any cherry picking at my daughter's school. My daughter has never been intelligence tested. From what I have heard there are some people below the poverty line that send their kids to the school. If Singapore can do it their public school system and my daughter's school is doing it, we can do it in America.

« Previous Ten Next Ten »

Live chat: Tuesday, noon PST; Chat with Krista Creelman; Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question