Parent Involvement in Education Parent/Teacher Meetings 1
Parent Involvement in Education In the U.S., parents are expected to be actively involved in their children s education. It s as American as apple pie. But in many other cultures, parent involvement in education isn t the norm. Parents who are new to the U.S. are often unfamiliar with the roles they are expected and encouraged to play in their children s education. They may also lack language skills necessary to fulfill these roles. This PIE Reader is a life-skills course designed to teach both language and socio-cultural skills needed by adult refugees and immigrants to help their children succeed in school. PARENT/TEACHER MEETINGS CONTENTS: Teacher s Instructions..4 Parent Teacher Meetings 1. Talking about your child s classes...5 2. Meeting with the teacher...15 Cut-Out Materials...25 2
For the Teacher Life Skills Objectives: Students will learn to participate in a Parent/Teacher meeting. Linguistic Objectives: Vocabulary: Students will learn words to discuss their child s classes, preferences, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Grammar: Students will practice asking and answering Wh-questions. Students will learn to discuss preferences using adverbial phrases, gerunds., and auxiliary DO. Listening: Students will practice listening comprehension. This reader was designed to be self-explanatory. Teacher s instructions are provided for teachers in highlighted boxes with a heavy border (like this one.) Cut-out materials are provided at the back of the reader. 3
Parent/Teacher Meetings 1. Talking about your child s school work 4
from back of Reader. Students work in small groups to match them. Practice pronunciation. Take turns holding up picture, students call out word or hold up word card. Turn all cards upside down, play concentration. Then do activities on this and the following pages. Teacher s Instructions: Before starting work on this page, introduce vocabulary. Cut out the flashcards for Talking About Your Child s Classes 1. Matching Draw a line from the word to the picture. math class science class language class sports history class homework 5
Opposites 1. Read the list of words. Write each word in the correct blank. best strength like good don t like hard bad weakness easy worst good 2. Check your answers with your classmates. 3. Make a list of things you like and don t like. I like: I don t like: 6
Likes and Dislikes Parent/Teacher Meetings She likes to listen to music. I like to listen to music. OR She likes listening to music. I like listening to music. OR She likes music. I like music. He doesn t like to study. I don t like to study. He doesn t like studying. I don t like studying. He doesn t like homework. I don t like homework. 1. Look at the chart above. Read each sentence. How many ways can you say he likes something? How many ways can you say she does not like something? How many ways can you say you like something? How many ways can you say you do not like something? 2. Check your answers with your classmates. 7
3. Look at your list of likes and dislikes (page 7.) Write 2 or 3 ways to say what you like: Write 2 or 3 ways to say what you don t like: 2. Gossip Game Everyone makes a circle. 1st person: Tell one thing you like and one thing you don t like. 2nd person: Tells what the first person likes and doesn t like, then adds his own likes and dislikes. 3rd person: Tells what the first two people like and don t like, and adds her own likes and dislikes. Example: Maria: I like swimming. I don t like to wash dishes. Poc: Maria likes swimming. She doesn t like washing dishes. I like eating Thai food. I don t like to work. Gwen: Maria likes swimming. She doesn t like to wash dishes. Poc likes Thai food. He doesn t like work. I like playing soccer. I don t like American football. Josef: Maria likes to swim. She doesn t like to wash dishes. Poc likes Thai food. He doesn t like working. Ari likes to play soccer. He doesn t like football. I like soccer too. I don t like spaghetti. etc... 8
1. This is a picture of Tolya. Read what he likes and doesn t like. Tolya Kovalenko Watch TV Play video games Animals Speak in class Homework after dinner 2. Read the sentences below. Mark each one True or False. True 1. Tolya likes to watch TV. False 2. He doesn t like video games. 3. He likes animals. 4. Tolya likes playing video games. 5. He likes watching TV. 6. He likes to do homework after dinner. 7. He doesn t like to speak in class. 8. Tolya doesn t like animals. 9. He likes speaking in class. 9
1. This is Tanya. Read what she says about her son, Tolya. My son is Tolya. Science is Tolya s best subject. He likes learning about animals in science class. He has a good grade in science. English is hard for Tolya. He doesn t like to speak in class. Language is his worst subject. I m afraid he will get a bad grade. Tolya likes watching TV and playing video games after school. Sometimes after dinner he s too tired to study. 2. Read the sentences below. Fill in the missing words. Tolya is Tanya s son son. Tolya likes about animals. He has a grade in science. It s his class. Tanya is afraid Tolya will get a bad in language class because is hard for Tolya. He doesnt like to in class. His worst subject is. After school, Tolya likes TV. He likes playing games, too. Sometimes he s too to do his homework. 10
Parent/Teacher Meetings 1. Matching Which picture goes with the sentence? 1. He likes English class. Language is his strength. C A 2. Math is hard for her. + 3. Homework is her weakness. 4. He got a good grade in history. 5. He got an F in science class. + B 6. She has good grades in history. 7. She doesn t like numbers. Math is her worst subject. 8. English is her best subject. She likes languages. C 9. He needs to study science. He got a bad grade in that class. 10. She doesn t like studying at home. D D 2. Take turns talking about the pictures with your classmates. Use these words: strength best bad weakness likes worst + + good doesn t like easy E + 11
1. Make a list of your child s likes and dislikes. Include favorite sports, foods, games and school subjects. My child s name: Likes/Strengths Dislikes/Weaknesses 12
2. Talk to your classmates about your children's likes and dislikes. Use at least 4 of these words: best strength like good doesn t like hard bad weakness easy worst What does your child like? She likes to cook dinner. But she doesn t like washing dishes. What s hard for your son? His weakness is homework. 13
Parent/Teacher Meetings 2. Meeting with the teacher 14
back of Reader. Students work in small groups to match them. Practice pronunciation. Take turns holding up picture, students call out word or hold up word card. Turn all cards upside down, play concentration. Then do activities on this and the following pages. Teacher s Instructions: Before starting work on this page, introduce vocabulary. Cut out the flashcards for Meeting with the Teacher from 1. Matching Draw a line from the word to the picture. read speak practice ask participate improve 15
1. Read the list of words. Write each word in the correct blank. worried bad attitude bully attendance bad grades worried 2. Make a list of things you worry about. 3. Talk to your classmates. What do you worry about? I worry about strangers. 16
students level allow, you can expand on the listening lesson with additional discussion of the Parent/Teacher Meeting. website. It is 2 minutes long. If you don t have access to the recording, you can read from the script in the back of this reader. It is best to have two different voices read the two roles. The exercises in the reader suggest playing the audio text at least 4 times. If time and the Teacher s Instructions: An audio recording of the Parent/Teacher meeting can be downloaded to your computer or MP3 player from the 1. Look at the pictures. Tanya Kovalenko Ms. Johnson Tolya Kovalenko 2. Tanya is going to meet Ms. Johnson. 3. Talk with your classmates: What do you think Tanya and Ms. Johnson will talk about? 17
1. Listen to the conversation. Raise your hand when you hear these words: English Homework School 2. Listen again. What do the Kovalenkos do after school? Now read these statements with your classmate. Check YES or NO. After school.. YES NO Tolya watches TV Tolya rides a bike. Tolya plays video games. Tolya does homework. Tanya is too busy. Tanya helps Tolya with homework. Tanya cooks dinner. Tanya does laundry. Tanya takes care of the baby. Tanya s husband washes the dishes. 3. Listen again. Check your answers. 18
1. Listen again. Write the words in the blanks: study speak good TV like English family parents A practice help son language school homework best read Hi, my name is Ms. Johnson. Thank you for coming. My name is Tanya Kovalenko. My son is Tolya. son Nice to meet you.. I having Tolya in my class. Do you have any questions for me? Is he learning? Tolya doesn t like to in class. He needs to more. What language do you speak at home? We speak Ukrainian. We want him to learn our. Try to speak English with him for a few minutes every day. Maybe you could practice English during dinner. That s a idea. The whole can practice English together. What are his habits? When does he do his homework? He likes watching TV and playing video games after. After dinner, he does homework. But sometimes he s too tired. Maybe you should make a regular time for before dinner. Do you help him with his homework? I m too busy. I cook dinner and do laundry and take care of the baby. Maybe my husband can him. That s a good idea. What is Tolya s subject? He has an in science. He likes learning about animals that live in California. How can we help Tolya succeed in school? First, he needs to attend school every day. Second, together. You can borrow English books from the school library. OK. Thank you very much. My pleasure. Please call me whenever you have questions. I like to talk to. I will. Good-bye. See you soon. 19
Filling in School Forms 1. With a classmate, make two lists: 2. What should a parent ask or tell a teacher? 3. What should a teacher ask or tell a parent? Parents List: Does my daughter participate in class? Teacher s List: If he studies, your child s grade will improve In sports class, there is a bully with a bad attitude. 20
Teacher s Instructions: Game cards are in the back of this reader. Use colored paperclips as game pieces. How to Play: Stack cards in 2 piles, one for Teachers & one for Parents, with yellow side down. 1st player takes a card and reads it. If it is a Teacher card, 2nd player will make up a parent s response. If it s a Parent card, 2nd player gives a teacher s response. Each person advances one square after a good response. After all cards are used, shuffle cards and play again, until all players have reached the END. 1. Parent/Teacher Meeting Board Game Parent/Teacher Meetings 21
1. Role Play Work with a classmate. One will be the Teacher. The other will be the Parent. Write a script for a Parent/Teacher meeting. Discuss : Homework Attitude Attendance Grades How parents can help student. How teacher can help parents and student. (Greet parent ) Hello, nice to meet you. (Greet teacher & Introduce yourself) (Identify your child) (Thank parent for coming) (Ask a question) (Respond) (Ask another question) (Respond,) (Ask about homework habits ) (Respond) (Ask if child has problems with school work) (Respond) (Ask how school/teacher can help parent) (Respond) (Thank parent for coming) (Thank teacher and say good bye) 2. With your partner, read the script out loud to your other classmates. 3. Switch roles. Read it out loud again. 22
1. Make a list of things you want to talk to the teacher about. Parent/Teacher Meetings My PARENT/TEACHER Meeting List: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 2. Put the list in a convenient place at home. When you think of new questions, add them to your list. 23
Materials Talking about your child s classes Vocabulary Flashcards Meeting with the teacher Vocabulary Flashcards Game Cards Script for Listening Lesson 24
Parent/Teacher Meetings FLASH CARDS for Talking about your child s classes 25
FLASH CARDS for Talking about your child s classes homework math class language class hard good grade strength history class easy sports science class weakness bad grade like don t like doesn t like 26
Parent/Teacher Meetings FLASHCARDS for Meeting with the teacher 27
FLASHCARDS for Meeting with the teacher good attitude participate ask help attendance worried concerned bad attitude improve meeting check speak read practice bully mean 28
Please tell me about your child. Does she like school? Tell me about your child s study habits. Parent/Teacher Meetings I would like your child to participate more in class. Your son needs to read every day for 10 minutes. Your daughter s attendance is weak. She has missed 10 classes! I enjoy having your child in my class. If you are worried or have a question, please call me any time. How can I help my child be successful in school? Why does my child have to do sports? He doesn t like playing basketball. Can my son stay after school? I have to work until 6:30pm. I can t understand my daughter s homework. How can I help her? What is my son s strength? What is his worst class? When will we get my child s grades? Please change my child to different class. This class is too easy. How is my child doing in school? 29
Teacher s Instructions: An audio recording can be downloaded to your computer or MP3 player from the website., If you don t have access to the recording, use this copy of the audio script It is best to have two different voices read the two roles. The audio recording is 2 minutes in long. The exercises in the reader suggest playing the audio text at least 4 times. If time and the students level allow, you can expand on the listening lesson with additional discussion of the content. Parent Teacher Meeting Audio Script for Listening Lessons Hi, my name is Ms. Johnson. Thank you for coming. My name is Tanya Kovalenko. My son is Tolya. Nice to meet you.. I like having Tolya in my class. Do you have any questions for me? Is he learning English? Tolya doesn t like to speak in class. He needs to practice more. What language do you speak at home? We speak Ukrainian. We want him to learn our language. Try to speak English with him for a few minutes every day. Maybe you could practice English during dinner. That s a good idea. The whole family can practice English together. What are his study habits? When does he do his homework? He likes watching TV and playing video games after school. After dinner, he does homework. But sometimes he s too tired. Maybe you should make a regular time for homework before dinner. Do you help him with his homework? I m too busy. I cook dinner and do laundry and take care of the baby. Maybe my husband can help him. That s a good idea. What is Tolya s best subject? He has an A in science. He likes learning about animals that live in California. How can we help Tolya succeed in school? First, he needs to attend school every day. Second, read together. You can borrow English books from the school library. OK. Thank you very much. My pleasure. Please call me whenever you have questions. I like to talk to parents. I will. Good-bye. See you soon. 30