Making Your First ELL Home Visit

Making Your First ELL Home Visit: A
Guide for Classroom Teachers

By
Gisela Ernst-Slavit, Michele Mason
This article written for Colorn Colorado provides practical tips for home visits
with English language learners (ELLs), including steps to take before, during,
and after the visit.
On this page
The Benefits of Home Visits
Planning
Arrival
Departure
Post Visit
Resources
About the Authors
Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they
work. They need to know the universe of their dreams, the language with which they
skillfully defend themselves from the aggressiveness of their world, what they know
independently of the school, and how they know it.
Paulo Freire (p. 72-73)
The Benefits of Home Visits

A home visit program can show that teachers, principals, and school staff are willing to
"go more than halfway" to involve all parents in their children's education. These visits
help teachers demonstrate their interest in students' families and they provide
opportunities for teachers to understand their students better by seeing students in
their home environments.
Home visits are not meant to replace parent-teacher conferences or to discuss

children's progress. When done early, before any school problems might arise, home
visits signal that teachers are eager to work with all families and avoid putting parents
on the defensive. Teachers who have made home visits say they build stronger
relationships with parents and their children and improve attendance and achievement.
In this regard, Mary, a 1st and 2nd grade teacher who has been visiting the home of
her students before the first day of school, writes:
[H]ow I address my fear about the first day of school is to face it, as you suggest, I
spend the week before the first day of school visiting my students' homes, meeting the
students and their families. I can't wait for the first day of school, and so I go out and
read the students in their neighborhoods, their homes, with their families. That way I
know where my students are coming from, literally I know who their people are. I know
the names their families call them. I know what they are proud of and what worries
them, I begin to trust these families. My students and their families begin to trust me.
(Nieto, 2009, p. 12)
Home visits are not a new concept. Head Start teachers have been using them for
many years and in the last few years an increasing number of schools and districts have
established successful home visit programs that have yielded many positive returns.
Regardless of whether their schools have established a home visit program, many
teachers of English language learners have been using home visits as a way to learn
about their students and their home environments and to establish a much-needed
connection with families and communities.
Several key components combine to create successful home visits: planning, arrival,
departure, and post visit. These important aspects are explained below.
Planning
Prior to visiting students' homes, it is important to consider a few items. Remember
that this might be an opportunity to help a parent such as Ms. Astorga feel more
comfortable when visiting the school her children attend.
Este es mi cuarto ao en los EE.UU. y slo he ido a la escuela para matricular a mis
hijos. No me siento a gusto en la escuelatengo un poco de miedo de no hacer las
cosas bien y de no entender lo que me dicen. Y mis hijos me dicen que mejor no vaya
pues a lo mejor meto la pata.
This is my fourth year in the U.S. and I have only been to the school to register my
kids. I don't feel at ease in the schoolI am afraid of not doing the right thing or
misunderstanding what they say. My kids tell me not to go because if I do I might make
a mistake.
Ms. Astorga, parent from Chile
Tips for success
Determine the purpose(s) of the visit such as learning more about students and
exploring ways that the school and teachers can better serve families.
Schedule a home visit 7 to 10 days in advance.
Communicate the purpose of your visit and approximately how long the visit will
last (30 to 45 minutes).
Follow up with a brief written note indicating the exact date and time of the
meeting, preferably written in the family's home language.
If possible, learn the names of family members.

Learn a few words of the family's first language, even if they're only "hello" and
"thank you." This shows you care enough to make an effort and may help break the ice.
Ask another adult to accompany you to your first home visits, preferably
someone who speaks the home language of the families.
Consider that some parents may be familiar and comfortable with home visits,
having experienced them in their countries of origin. Others may not be familiar or
comfortable with the idea.
If parents have difficulty scheduling a time to meet with you, it may be because
some parents work 2 or more jobs.
Begin making home visits prior to the start date of school. This may help lower
the anxiety level of your students and will help you become aware of your students'
English language proficiency levels.
Know where you are going (that is, have a map or GPS device).
Leave a schedule of home visits with the school staff.
If possible, bring a small gift, such as a little bag of cookies, a children's book, or
a notebook as a token of appreciation.
If you will need the services of a translator/interpreter, consider asking fewer

questions. Since questions and answers have to pass through the translator/interpreter,
they will probably require twice the amount of time.
Arrival
Instantly when we rang the doorbell we were greeted by four bright smiling facesdad,
mom and Rocio and Laura (ages 8 and 10). Both parents came up to us and shook our
hands, and the girls curtseyed and giggled in their beautiful fancy dresses. Though I
was still a bit shy and awkward at first, my fears were dismissed as soon as I realized
how kind and inviting the family truly was.
Roxana, 3rd grade teacher
Tips for success
Be on time.
Dress appropriately err on the side of formal attire.
Be aware of and look for cultural expectations in the home. For example, in some
cultures it is expected that people entering the home will remove their shoes and walk
about the home in socks or in special footwear provided by the host.
Introduce yourself and the adult accompanying you.
Begin by establishing rapport through small talk.
Conversation starters: "Tell me about your child." "What does your child like best
about school?""What are schools like in _______ (country of origin)?" "Tell me about
_______ (siblings or other family members)."
While you are encouraged to do more listening than talking, you could also talk
about your school's routines, classroom curricula, or teacher expectations among other
topics.
If you're nervous, remember, the family you are visiting is also probably nervous.
Bear in mind that in many cultures, teachers are more highly respected than in
the U.S. It is a significant event to host a teacher in families' homes.
Don't be afraid to look foolish while trying to bridge the language gap. If
necessary, try drawing pictures or acting out what you mean.
During the conversation, maintain eye contact with the family even if you are
speaking through a translator/interpreter.
Avoid taking notes or recording the conversation when visiting the family. This
can be perceived as rude or threatening.
Avoid talking about negative things.
While in a family's home, put on your anthropologist's lens. This means trying to
view the host home from the perspective of those living there.
Show respect and empathy.
Smile. Be aware, however, that some Eastern European families may perceive
smiling as a sign of insincerity. Observe the family and adjust your behavior
accordingly.

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Making Your First ELL Home Visit: A

Guide for Classroom Teachers

The Benefits of Home Visits

Home visits are not meant to replace parent-teacher conferences or to discuss

Ms. Astorga, parent from Chile

Tips for success

Schedule a home visit 7 to 10 days in advance.

If possible, learn the names of family members.

Leave a schedule of home visits with the school staff.

If you will need the services of a translator/interpreter, consider asking fewer

Tips for success

Dress appropriately err on the side of formal attire.

Begin by establishing rapport through small talk.

Avoid talking about negative things.

Show respect and empathy.

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