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In this chapter, you will learn about the language barriers that can exist for a parent who comes from another culture and has a child with a disability who is served in the special education system. Research about language barriers will be presented along with María’s story.
1. Imagine you are in a doctor’s office for a routine check-up. During your check-up you are greeted by 5 different doctors who are there to inform you of your health. They all speak a different language than you do. How might this make you feel?
2. Describe the potential obstacles that can develop if a teacher and parent are unable to communicate with each other about a student’s educational, behavioral, and social needs?
3. What are some strategies that can assist you with overcoming language barriers with families?
Between the years 1980 and 2000, the U.S. population increased by one-fourth. In that same time period the number of non-English speakers doubled. This statistic is continuing to increase. Today’s teachers have a diverse student population, including many non-English speaking students and their families. If the appropriate level of support is not put into place, the language barrier can have an effect on a student’s overall progress. In fact, studies have shown that a parents limited English proficiency has a correlation with their child’s overall healthcare, including but not limited to: impaired health status; a decrease in their likelihood to participate in regular health care; impaired medical access to children with specific health care needs, longer visits with emergency care, and a poor understanding of their child’s health care needs (Flores, Abreu, & Tomany-Korman, 2005).
Teachers need to be aware of and prepared for overcoming language barrier obstacles.
I never wanted the language barrier to be a burden to the teachers. I always wanted them to learn from us and to feel like maybe their lives had been enriched because they took the extra steps to help Antonio, myself and my mom to accomplish what was best for him. Spanish-speaking families have a lot of great insights and suggestions to share. They have ideas about things that have worked for them that could really help a teacher with a student. Maybe some of those practices may seem somewhat unorthodox to a teacher, but at the very least teachers could listen to the parent and have an open mind about the ideas being presented. Never underestimate a family just because a language barrier exists.
Family is the cornerstone of our culture. We have a very strong sense of interdependence, mutual respect and co-parenting. I let the teachers know that my mothers presence at meetings was very important to me. From the beginning they understood that she spoke very little English, but they never offered to have an interpreter there. Instead I acted as interpreter and listener which was very hard. I had to take in everything that I was being told, which at times was so hard to comprehend, and then I had to turn around and interpret these things for my mom. The meetings were frustrating for me and for my mom, and for those in attendance. For those that don’t know, sometimes these meetings are filled with up to eight professional people in the room. Having been my first experience with the school system, I did not know to ask for an interpreter for my mom. After some time she stopped coming to the meetings altogether. I knew she really wanted to be there, but she knew it was more important for me to listen and to not be distracted having to interpret. I missed her presence and missed having her as my support. Her input about my son was valuable.
I believe these initial first meetings are so important, because they are the families first impressions of the school system that will be caring for their child. I would have wanted someone to have offered an interpreter for my mom. I also felt that my mom was sort of put off to the side to some extent, because she was viewed as "only the grandmother." In my culture the grandmothers many times serve as co-mothers. My mother provided my children with all the care when I was at work, so her observations and her contribution were very valuable. She couldn't’t express that in the meetings, and felt very under appreciated.
Language barriers can have a detrimental affect on the overall parent-teacher relationship, as well as a student's academic, behavioral, or social progress. In an effort to avoid this barrier from taking place, please complete the following activity.
Your task: Create an action plan for your own classroom of how you plan to proactively avoid any language barriers with the families you work with. In your plan state what kind of language support you will have in your own classroom, identify professionals you will contact if you need primary language support for the family, etc.
Flores, G., Abreu, M., & Tomany-Korman, S.C. (2005). Limited English proficiency, primary language at home, and disparities in children's health care: How languages barriers are measured matters. Public Health Reports, 120, 418-430.S