ELL Parent Involvement Analysis

Furthermore, the authors’ findings revealed that many teacher educational programs do not provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to interact with families in their field experiences, meaning that a teacher candidate may have had little practical experience in working with parents - and may thus be hesitant to engage with families. Equally important, other barriers may be a parent's own negative school experiences – thus creating significant apprehension about "re-entering their child's school environment". Other reported barriers to participation include occupational limitations, scheduling conflicts, and financial restrictions. It is equally important to mention that on some occasions, parents misunderstand their role in their children's education because they don't comprehend (or can't decipher) the concept of involvement. …show more content…
Shim (2013) used a postcolonial theory as a conceptual lens to investigate the dynamics of English language learners (ELL) parent-teacher interactions from rural ELL parent perspectives by looking at those interactions as intercultural relations. For example, this study used a general qualitative methodology to explore the dynamics of ELL parent-teacher interactions. In addition, the study suggested that the current ELL parental involvement model often overlooks the structural aspects and power asymmetry of parent-teacher relationships that can hinder productive collaboration. In a like manner, three broad themes emerged as obstacles that inhibit productive ELL parent-teacher interactions were (1) teachers’ judgments toward ELL students and their parents, (2) ELL parents’ frustration about their