How to partner with parents of EAL learners

When parents enrol children in international schools, the instinct is often to surround them with as much English as possible. Some families even stop speaking their native language at home out of concern it will hinder their child’s academic progress.

But the research suggests otherwise. Dozens of studies over the years have demonstrated that multilingualism supports development. It not only helps students build a deeper understanding of subjects and better engage with tasks but allows them to gain more confidence in themselves.

By prioritising English, schools and families may actually be overlooking one of multilingual children’s most powerful skills.

So how can schools support parents with English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners? Let’s explore why translanguaging matters, what the research says about multilingual development and how you can help families feel more confident about using their native language with their children.

What is translanguaging?

Translanguaging is when multilingual speakers use all their language knowledge to understand, communicate and learn.

One example is Spanglish, a mix of English and Spanish. Many bilingual communities in the US use vocabulary from both languages, for example, saying “necesito un break” instead of “I need a break”. Or translating phrases directly from one language into the other instead of English and Spanish expressions.

But don’t think of translanguaging as simply switching between English and your mother tongue. Multilingual speakers don’t keep languages separate in their day-to-day lives; they use them all to understand, learn and express ideas. In other words, it’s a natural way for them to make sense of the world around them.

The research on translanguaging and multilingual development

Studies on translanguaging are clear on one point: maintaining a child’s home language helps with their overall development.

Most recently, a group of researchers conducted an analysis of over 90 studies on translanguaging. They looked at reports from a range of education contexts from across the past decade to test their theory that EAL learners perform better at school when they can use their native tongue.

The analysis showed that translanguaging can help students:

• Understand lessons and instructions
• Take part more confidently in class
• Show what they know
• Develop deeper understanding of subject content
• Connect home and school knowledge
• Feel more included and valued

On the other hand, pushing aside the home language in favour of English puts EAL learners at a disadvantage. Children in the studies frequently struggled to learn new subjects.

The researchers concluded that letting students use their home language improved learning, participation and inclusion at schools. However, it requires work. Schools and families must change their attitudes and approaches to multilingual learning to facilitate EAL education and make the most of their linguistic gifts.

Common misconceptions and fears about multilingualism

Many negative attitudes toward translanguaging come from a genuine desire to help multilingual children succeed. Parents are often concerned that mixing languages will:

Confuse their children

• Encourage bad speaking habits
• Slow down academic progress
• Cause their non-native accent to be stronger
• Make it harder for children to fit in at school

It’s also worth bearing in mind that there are now over 100 million displaced people worldwide. Many families may encourage their children to leave their home language behind because they believe it will help them adapt to the situation and stay safe in their new community.

All this means that schools must approach the subject of translanguaging with care and empathy. You can’t expect everyone to immediately accept new policies on EAL education. Before you change anything, you must engage with the families of multilingual learners and encourage them to work alongside you.

How to support parents with translanguaging

So how can schools encourage multilingual families to work alongside them to support EAL education? Here are some steps you can take.

Communicate with parents about translanguaging

Find opportunities to discuss the benefits of translanguaging with parents. You can start by agreeing your shared goals for the student and explain how their home language can support progress toward these. When you approach the topic from this neutral point, parents will be more likely to be receptive.

Signal the value of multilingualism

Make multilingualism visible throughout your school through displays, signs and presentations. This helps multilingual students see that they’re both recognised and welcomed.

If you have international teachers, encourage them to speak in their own language with students and colleagues rather than sticking to English out of politeness.

Give families practical suggestions

Offer parents simple recommendations for how to support learning at home. That might include discussing what children have learned in their native language, relating lessons back to their own culture, or consuming more bilingual media.

Offer tools and resources

Show families how you integrate EAL education into your curriculum to help them understand the benefits of translanguaging and their role in their child’s education. For example, Pearson provides this Parents Toolkit with guides, presentations and videos for both primary and secondary students.

Build translanguaging into school practice

Ensure wider practice reflects school policy on translanguaging. A recent study found that staff may have positive attitudes toward multilingualism but fail to incorporate it into their teaching. Families and children are likely to follow the teacher’s lead so reinforce EAL education in classes by providing continuous training and regular feedback.

Parents as partners in EAL education

Supporting EAL learners isn’t just about what happens in the classroom. Schools need to work with families to ensure students feel comfortable using their native language and draw on their full range of linguistic skills to learn.

That means treating families as partners in EAL education. When schools keep parents informed and involved, they help them see the benefits of translanguaging. Parents are then better placed to support their children at home.

Further reading

For more information about how to navigate multilingualism at your school, read our articles on EAL in the classroom and EAL in assessment.