I am Saray Morales. I am currently working on my undergraduate degree in Spanish Education at Indiana University-Bloomington. I tutor at a center for English Language Learners. #ELLCHAT
A1) Hello #ellchat! My name is Carol Salva. I'm an author and consultant from Houston, Texas. I teach High School newcomers and I love it! I'm excited to be here. Great topic!
Hi, I am Melissa. I am an elementary school principal in Baltimore County MD at an amazingly diverse elementary school with a large percentage of student who are learning English as a second or third language. #ELLCHAT
We organize #ELLCHAT around numbered questions. When you respond, please start with the answer number to show the context of your tweet (like A1 goes with Q1) Thanks!
A2) We work hard to prevent these reasons for absenteeism: Students not feeling important. Students not feeling confident. Students not feeling like they will be successful. Students feeling like the school is not for them. #ellchat
A2 Think about preschoolers and kindergartners. They are totally at the mercy of their family’s ability to get them to school! I wrote about some of the reasons here: https://t.co/3q7gj0Cjx7#ELLCHAT
A2. I think sometimes cultural values influence attendance. Ss may need to attend to household matters or take care of siblings. Even the weather seems to affect my #ELLs attendance, especially in our walking community. They stay home if it’s too cold, snowy, or rainy. #ELLCHAT
A2 Yes - and bullying can be so hard to detect. ELLs might not want to admit to family that they are scared to go to school so they find other ways to be absent. #ELLCHAT
A2: We have many students that have strong family values that encourage caring for siblings and helping one another and this may take priority over school. #ELLCHAT
A2. I think sometimes cultural values influence attendance. Ss may need to attend to household matters or take care of siblings. Even the weather seems to affect my #ELLs attendance, especially in our walking community. They stay home if it’s too cold, snowy, or rainy. #ELLCHAT
A2 Think of all the little children who can’t get to school because their families have mental health, substance abuse or other health problems and just can’t get them up and out. For immigrant families, far less access to needed supports! #ELLCHAT
A2) Parents don't see the importance of academics as much as they do physical labor/school has not been a priority for them.This leads to an attitude that it's not a priority to get their kid to school. Oh yeah, I'm Tammy Crowder and Esl teacher from Louisville Kentucky #ellchat
A2: I see problems arising at school. For example, students might have an issue with learning the language, so they lose that drive and motivation. I used to be an ELL student and I struggled with certain assignments.
A2: Every child and situation is different, chronic absenteeism can range from being caused by health issues to having responsibilities (particularly high school aged children) that prevent students from coming to school #ELLchat
A2) In my school, my teachers always came in because there was a shortage of subs, but in the high school next door, they had trouble keeping ELLs because the kids in the classroom were horrible to them, so that could be a reason for absenteeism. #ELLCHAT
A2 Also think of all the young children of immigrant families whose parents are struggling to make ends meet with multiple shifts or working their own businesses - school doesn’t offer flexible start times so you just stay home! #ELLCHAT
A2: Inclement weather and half-days often negatively impact our attendance. 1/2 days often cause child care challenges so parents don't send their students to school. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT Also, some students fear asking their teachers questions or for help. Mostly, because other students do not ask questions, they feel like it would be "embarrassing"
A2: I see problems arising at school. For example, students might have an issue with learning the language, so they lose that drive and motivation. I used to be an ELL student and I struggled with certain assignments.
Q1. I agree. There are so many situations in which siblings need to take care of other siblings. In the schools I've been in, however, I think the students enjoy coming to school and make an effort to not miss to much. I think poverty above cultural plays a major role. #ELLCHAT
My name is Amanda Hamilton. I am the art teacher at my school but my county is paying for me to get certified in ESOL. I’m at a school near Augusta, GA. I am participating tonight because our county is also challenging us to use technology more #ellchat
A2 I’m sure that money or lack of experience may mean there are children who don’t have the right clothes for the changing seasons - cheaper to just keep them home. There are so many reasons! #ELLCHAT
A2 Oh really, Shaeley? I am sure that every school district sends home a detailed document describing that attendance policy… in ENGLISH!! :( #ELLCHAT
I agree! I think as teachers we should make the classroom environment more comfortable for students to be able to ask whatever questions they want! This way everybody is confident when they ask questions. #ELLCHAT
Great point! I think a lot of our elementary families don’t even realize or understand they have to call the office if the child is going to be absent. #ELLChat
A2 Thanks, Beth - if you want everyone on #ELLCHAT to see your great idea, you need to type #ELLCHAT in every tweet. Something so small - a few extra coats, hats and mittens, can make such a big impact!!
A2 Also, families may not fully understand how absences affect academics....excused vs unexcused...its important they understand the attendance policies. #ELLCHAT
Great point! I think a lot of our elementary families don’t even realize or understand they have to call the office if the child is going to be absent. #ELLChat
Hello. Heidi Larson, happy to stumble on this chat! SABES provides PD, resources, and other support to programs offering adult education. However, I'm sure some of the issues on #ellchat's topic tonight resonate with them as well, especially when working with families.
A2: We conduct ongoing parent information sessions to provide general school information. We give them clozed format absence notes in their first language to help them with notifying school of absences #ELLCHAT
A2) medical clinics that accept Medicare and/or uninsured patients is an issue. Many of my students must travel 2 hours away to see a dentist, because there is not a local dentist who accepts Medicare. #ELLCHAT
A3 This is an important question for preK and K ELLs/DLLs. It is easy for families to think absences don’t matter to little kids but it is very disruptive to their progress when they are struggling to over come language barriers every day! #ELLCHAT
A3. Attendance is huge! You can't learn if you're not there. Chronic absenteeism leads to students always being behind and trying to catch up. They never get to master anything. It's frustrating for both Ss and Ts #ELLCHAT
A3: When it may already take longer to understand a concept because of language difference or translating...days absent only make it more challenging to grasp new concepts #ELLCHAT
I tell my #ell pre-Algebra students all the time that math is money and education is their future, so they need to come to school every day. And when they show up after a few days absence, I always thank them for coming back to school.
A3) Attendance affects academic success a lot because students have to be present to learn the new material. If students aren't there to absorb the information, then they will not be able to understand the next lesson or what could be on a future test. #ELLCHAT
A3: @attendanceworks has great resources in English and Spanish about the importance of school attendance, especially in the primary grades. We use many of their resources with our families. #ELLCHAT
A3 Don’t forget all the issues we all typed for Q2. Maybe one reason absenteeism hurts academic progress is because of all the CAUSES of absence like family problems or housing insecurity. #ELLCHAT
A3 Don’t forget all the issues we all typed for Q2. Maybe one reason absenteeism hurts academic progress is because of all the CAUSES of absence like family problems or housing insecurity. #ELLCHAT
A3) A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn and a lost opportunity to make connections with teachers and classmates. đź“–#ELLCHAT
#ellchat My name is Holly Genova. I teach HS Newcomer English in N. Texas. Some students have formal education but many have interrupted formal education.
A3 Dear Melissa. Thanks for sharing the awesome resource I wanted to share tonight. Now you will get all the credit. I hope you are prepared for the accolades ;) Isn’t this a great site?? #ELLCHAT
A3: @attendanceworks has great resources in English and Spanish about the importance of school attendance, especially in the primary grades. We use many of their resources with our families. #ELLCHAT
Q2R This is true for adults as well. Making lessons relevant to them and that are connected to their future and the future of their families makes learning much more meaningful. True for everybody, right? #ellchat
A3) A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn and a lost opportunity to make connections with teachers and classmates. đź“–#ELLCHAT
A3: School attendance can definitely hinder ELLs from improving. This affects their academic and language enrichment. If a student is behind, the absences will not help the student succeed and stay on progress. #ELLCHAT
A3 Also, if students are absent due to heavy demands of work or family needs, then giving them make-up work to do at home is the last thing they need to keep up academically ! #ELLCHAT
A3 :-) Our favorite idea is an attendance challenge between area elementary schools. After the month long challenge, the principals (dressed as the school mascots) visit the schools to celebrate the students, another great day to go to school #ELLCHAT
A3 Dear Melissa. Thanks for sharing the awesome resource I wanted to share tonight. Now you will get all the credit. I hope you are prepared for the accolades ;) Isn’t this a great site?? #ELLCHAT
A3: @attendanceworks has great resources in English and Spanish about the importance of school attendance, especially in the primary grades. We use many of their resources with our families. #ELLCHAT
A3) at the secondary level playing catch-up with missing work takes a huge toll on all involved. This is where I see students start to shut down and school starts to feel hopeless #ELLCHAT
A3) I tell my students that we need every instructional minute. Our class time is vital to help guide their success. Much of what we do in class helps them to know what to do on their own. We need them there and miss them when they are not. #ellchat
A2 I think some of those attendance challenges can be fun and effective, but have to be careful about youngest kids - they can’t get themselves to school and may feel like losers if family doesn’t participate #ELLCHAT
Q2) There is a huge difference between schools in the US and other countries. Number of hours, class taken, and school was sometimes an option not a requirement. #ELLCHAT
All methods of communication. Approximately 90% of my students walk to school so we get to have face-to-face conversations with parents or older siblings daily. We also send information by email, phone, and brief texts #ELLCHAT
A3) On our side, our adults will often miss school because of responsibilities toward their kids! ;- ) I've been thinking of how smartphones can help students keep up outside of class. Sometime I'd love to hear how you all are using tech. #ellchat
A3 Also, if students are absent due to heavy demands of work or family needs, then giving them make-up work to do at home is the last thing they need to keep up academically ! #ELLCHAT
A2) Also ELL students that are new to the country suffer from trauma. Leaving everything behind as a teenager, I can’t imagine. It’s impossible to learn if your basic needs are not met. #ellchat
At HS level attendance is a huge factor - content moves quickly, some classes are single semester, grades are permanent, and credits can be DENIED bc of attendance even if Ss is passing!! When schools are graded on attendance it is punitive! #ELLCHAT
A3. I think especially in early childhood the topics being taught are so fundamental, if students miss too much time it’s harder for them to progress in all areas. Their education is like a building - if we take out a floor, the entire structure collapses. #ellchat
This also prepares them for always going to class in college because some professors have mandatory attendance, so if they miss too many days, it could penalize their grades. It's a great thing to learn now rather than later! #ELLCHAT
A3) Content teachers at the junior high level expect students to be responsible for missed work and content. They expect students to get notes from peers which is not a natural action for many ELLs. #ELLChat
A3) When students are chronically absent, they often feel overwhelmed when returning do to all the work they need to make up. more stress leads to more anxiety and more absences. #ELLCHAT
#ellchat A4) I use https://t.co/V2u1aPKrqD and Clasdojo to provide a less intimidating way for parents to contact me about issues that may affect attendance.
A4 Our school division has a parent liaison in most of the schools, they work very closely with families to make sure that kids are in school each day-follow up on absences as well #ellchat
A4) I would want a good relationship with the students and the parents, so they know how important it is to go to school. Also, I would make the classroom fun, so it doesn't feel like you're learning. It would feel like you're having fun. #ellchat
A4: It starts with welcoming families during enrollment. I talk w/ nearly every family when they come to our school. I am out front with families every morning so they know that I am there to help. #ELLCHAT
A4. I establish a very open relationship with the Ss & try to identify obstacles that are keeping Ss away from school. Working w/ counselors/admin to make alternative plans for Ss that have chronic absences. i.e. make up time in other ways, avoid detentions, extra help #ELLCHAT
Q4 Ts building solid relationships with students, parents and siblings. Making sure to have Ts reach out when there is an absence for open lines of communication about the importance of being at school #ellchat
A2) Also ELL students that are new to the country suffer from trauma. Leaving everything behind as a teenager, I can’t imagine. It’s impossible to learn if your basic needs are not met. #ellchat
A4: I am not a T yet, however as a T it would be important to establish a relationship with both the student and the parent. Give students a foundation of support, understanding, patience. The S will notice that the T cares for the educ they receive! #ELLCHAT
A4: It starts with welcoming families during enrollment. I talk w/ nearly every family when they come to our school. I am out front with families every morning so they know that I am there to help. #ELLCHAT
A4 It's important to recognize when a student is absent...reach out to them and find out why and connect them to resources if needed. This helps build a positive relationship- one of the keys to keeping students in school..#ELLCHAT
A4 Communication systems like Classdojo or @RemindHQ allow teacher to reach out to families, remind them that attendance is important even when it rains, be encouraging - received in home languages #ELLCHAT
A4 Our school division has a parent liaison in most of the schools, they work very closely with families to make sure that kids are in school each day-follow up on absences as well #ellchat
A4 At our school we work as a team! Teachers, counselors, school social workers and parents. It is done in a non threatening way. To be honest, we have good attendance. Issues have been related to health or family issues #ELLCHAT
A4: Take proactive approach like home visits. Communicating importance of attendance in way families can understand is one step & home visit helps build relationships. #ELLChat
A4 Some programs have family ambassadors - often experienced bilingual family members who can support newcomer families and make sure they understand what’s going on. #ELLCHAT
A2) Also, if you miss the bus and know you’ll have an hour detention for being late, a teenager will choose to just be absent than serve a detention. #ellchat
A4: You can try to encourage good attendance-events, school incentives, etc. But, issues gets in the way of some students regularly attending school. We need to have more innovative approaches (virtual instruction &assignments, etc.) to reach students who need support. #ELLchat
I agree. Tried to keep in mind that content classes were really difficult for my students, so our ESL room had to be a place where they could take risks, ask any questions AND enjoy their time in the building!#ellchat
A4: With younger students we really need to work harder to provide families support and information in regards to getting their children to school. #ellchat
A4) relationships is top priority! Truly welcoming a student back after an absence and refraining from snide remarks about absence. Imagine hearing every hour a sarcastic remark from every teacher about your absence. #ELLCHAT
A4) It looks different at every level...I feel middle school students need more of the social support and the high school students need more flexibility in their academic scheduling. #ELLCHAT
a4) I know a lot of ppl think a potluck is a weak way to be culturally responsive. But it is a GREAT start when u do it in the neighborhood. It helps us build relationships w Ss & their families. Those relationships go a long way in curbing absences. #ellchat
A5: We provide different types of family programs to encourage involvement. We also have Arabic speaking staff available to provide parents with support. #ellchat
A4) I welcome every student everyday. Let them know how excited I am they are at school. Send work home with friends and siblings and ask absent students friends if they are ok. Sometimes just knowing an adult cares helps. #ellchat
A5 This book could help many families adapt to new country, new school rules and traditions: Raising Young Children in a New Country - available in several languages https://t.co/CVFUhfkRkf#ELLCHAT
A5) School social worker and I did home visits with a few chronic offenders and we were able to alleviate some of the barriers once we knew what they were. #ellchat
A5) There are afterschool programs that help students who need extra help in any subject in school, not just for ELLs. I think it's a good idea for students to be able to get extra help after hours on subjects that are more difficult for them. #ellchat
A5: I think you need to look schoolwide and then individualize based upon the cause for the attendance concern. Differentiating interventions is key. #ELLCHAT
#ellchat A5) our school is 100% free and reduced lunch for all, no form required. Some kids come just to eat breakfast with us. We also have a hard working parent liaison who does many home visits.
A5) School social worker and I did home visits with a few chronic offenders and we were able to alleviate some of the barriers once we knew what they were. #ellchat
A5: My former HS had a liason who worked with the families of ELLs. She would make sure that every S of hers (about 300) would attend school. If the S was not in school, she would call or go to the Ss home & try to communicate with the Parents. #ELLCHAT
A5: We have a newcomer program that has a parent support component. That has taught families alot about what our schools offer. Ps and Ts are also more comfortable with the community .#ELLChat
A5) Part of this too was that the parent used excuses and those didn’t really work any more after we knew more about their life circumstances. Being held accountable was important in that household. #ellchat
A5- Parent events held at times convenient for our parents, at drop off or pick up that focus on positive attendance. Providing resources during events in parents native languages about the importance of school attendance. #ellchat
A5) The school calls parents with every absence. They also ask us to call home if it is a chronic issue. Personally, I try to make my class a place where my #ELLs WANT to be. We also have a One World Club where all are welcome and supported. #Relationships#ellchat
A6 Home / neighborhood visits would be part of the division culture, bilingual parent liaisons, parent education / resources for immigrant families (family learning centers) #ellchat
A5. It's a work in progress, but we are trying to be creative in scheduling. ex. scheduling a free period for the last class and allowing Ss to leave to get some rest before work. In order to leave, Ss must arrive on time that day. It has helped a little, but not 100% #ELLCHAT
A6: one change would be the "punishment" or "consequence" for missing school, & get rid of that. My former hs would have ASD or ISS. This only makes the student not go to school just so they won't have to stay after or in a silent room all day. #ELLCHAT
A6) I would change the start time of school, so students can get an extra 30 minutes of sleep. When students are more awake and alert, they participate more in class and have a better time. #ellchat
A6: Before I could recommend a change, I would need to dig deeper into the reasons...school start/end times create challengs for high school Ss who are working or helping at home, child care on 1/2 days, language barriers, lack of medical care, etc. #ELLCHAT
A6) I would change the start time of school, so students can get an extra 30 minutes of sleep. When students are more awake and alert, they participate more in class and have a better time. #ellchat
A5) I agree with @MelissaDiDonato. Our schools base their interventions on needs + our social workers often do home visits and our graduation coaches run mentoring programs. #ELLCHAT
A6 This is true for many schools and districts but many go in wrong direction - punishing and humiliating students for absence, or rewarding some kids, making others feel like losers #ELLCHAT
A2 I FORGOT TO SAY MY BIG PET PEEVE: Fancy attendance reward programs such as “perfect attendance awards” guarantee that students are showing up at school with infectious diseases! So wrong!!! #ELLCHAT
A6) Making a mass purchase of this book as a resource for families and then handing out and explaining key topics like absenteeism. Wish it was available in more languages. #ellchat
