Developing the Organization to Support Desired Practices
School and system leaders work to facilitate school-wide collaboration and build productive relationships with families and the community in a number of ways, including:
- providing regular opportunities and structures that support teachers in working together on instructional improvements related to supporting ELLs
- working (with staff) directly with families of diverse backgrounds to help them provide their children with support in the home, that will contribute to their success at school
- encouraging staff to reach out to students with diverse viewpoints and linguistic experiences to enrich the classroom experience and help all students feel included
- helping connect families to the wider network of social services as needed
Key resources have been organized according to frequently asked questions.
How can we create a welcoming school?
| Supporting ELL in Kindergarten, Working with Families and Communities pp. 17 – 33 This resource describes strategies for involving parents and the community in the kindergarten classroom. |
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| Many Roots, Many Voices: Put out the Welcome Mat: The Welcoming School pp. 36-41 |
How can the school determine the appropriate initial placement of English language learners?
| STEP – Initial Assessment User Guide This document explains the importance of welcoming new families and describes the initial assessment process which is an opportunity to develop a profile of a student’s educational, linguistic, cultural and personal background, recommend appropriate placement and suggest supports. |
How can elementary schools support parents in working with literacy skills (in the first language) at home? How can teachers make the most of a student’s first language skills in classroom experiences?
| Video: Supporting English language learners: This resource describes best practices of schools welcoming newcomers and working effectively with community partners and families. Segment 4: Which instructional supports help ELL acquire English while meeting the demands of the curriculum? Segment 5: Jim Cummins and Elizabeth Coelho discuss the role of first language(s) and the concept of “universal design”. |
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How can the school support and connect families to the wider network of social services?
| Access parent information about the Ontario school system in different languages on: | Website | |
| For Information for newcomer families about immigration and citizenship, housing, health employment, education, community and recreation, legal services, and daily life access: | Website |
