[lg policy] Philanthropy and Education: Support for Those Learning English

[Harold Schiffman]

Philanthropy and Education: Support for Those Learning English


 School may be out for the summer, but there's no break for ideas and
debate about the best -- and worst -- ways for funders to help fix
America's education system. Certainly engaging with policymakers is
critical. In a later post, I'll discuss the issue of foundations'
increasing interest in and effort to influence education policy.But
one specific education idea that has gotten less attention than it
deserves is the need to help those whose native language isn't
English.

It's not just children of immigrants who are "English Language
Learners," but also those who live in linguistically homogenous
communities. And it's not just students in those states, including
California, Texas and New York, with a history of immigration and
multi-language environments. In fact, ELL populations are growing
everywhere, and the fastest increase is occurring in states such as
South Carolina, Indiana and Delaware, where school systems are less
familiar and less equipped to help non-native English speakers. That's
according to 2009 data from the Migration Policy Institute as cited in
a recent web seminar sponsored by Grantmakers for Education (GFE) and
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR). The two
organizations have teamed up for a two-day briefing to be held next
week in New York, exploring how funders can address ELL needs at
various stages of youth development, from pre-school to elementary and
secondary education to out-of-school time.

The recent web seminar -- of which presentation slides and an audio
recordings are available -- specifically focused on a "two-generation"
approach to literacy: working with parents as well as students.
Parents are "their children's first and life-long teachers," and
engaging them is the key to success. For example, Joanna Brown of
Chicago's Logan Square Neighborhood Association talked about how her
association helped to develop lasting relationships between parents
and teachers, through after-school workshops and evening meetings.
Before such efforts, teachers were skeptical of how much parents could
help them in their work. And many parents were suspicious that the
teachers had ulterior motives, such as reporting on their immigration
status.

Helping non-native English speakers become fluent both enhances their
opportunities and enables them to contribute fully to society more
broadly. Improved quality of life and enhanced social cohesion are
among philanthropy's most ambitious and important goals.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-wales/philanthropy-and-educatio_b_611562.html
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