Dear Parents,

Our mission in our school is to provide all students with the necessary programs in order
to ensure their academic success. The purpose of this letter is to provide a proposal to work
collaboratively with parents on the ESL program to ensure academic success in reading. The ESL
program also known as English as a Second Language is a program specifically designed for all
students whoso native language is not English. Unlike the bilingual programs, this program is for
students from various backgrounds. The purpose of ESL is to teach the English Language with
the use of various accommodations and instructional strategies such as small group instruction,
targeted instruction, teachers training and the use of the community.(Archuleta & Media, 2015)
Although this program is productive, parent involvement is a crucial component. According to
The Childrens Reading foundation reading, the reading skills you nurture are worth a quarter of
a million dollars. For every year, you read with your child, average lifetime earnings increase by
$50,000. You make $250,000 gift to your child by reading aloud just 20 minutes a day! (The
Children's Reading Foundation , 2015)
There are many ways, in which you as parents can be partners in your childrens
education. Research has shown that children with a solid foundation in their native language will
struggle less with acquiring a second language. Even parents who are not fluent readers can
provide a good experience for their children by telling stories from their lives, from their
imaginations, or from pictures in wordless book. (The Children's Reading Foundation, 2015).
We would like to encourage you to read and discuss books written in your native language with
your children in an effort to build a strong vocabulary base. Your children will use this
knowledge and transfer it to their English language skills.

English Language Learners are gifted and capable of accomplishing many task due to the fact
they are the process of being proficient in two languages. They are an asset to our community
and our future leaders. With your help, we can ensure your children are on the right path to
success. In our present time, most job opportunities are given to those who are proficient in two
languages. They are able to reach several communities and cultures because they have learned to
embrace both societies. Our society benefits greatly from English Language Learners and their
gifted minds.
Furthermore, we would like to provide you with resources in your native language. We
can send books home with your child and would like to share online resources, as well. Our
school has access to RAZ-kids, which is an online bookroom in which students can read books in
Spanish and English, as well. After reading these books, the students will answer questions about
the text to demonstrate their comprehension. As teachers, we have the ability to monitor the
students online reading, identify learning opportunities and use this data in our daily instruction.
Have frequent conversations with your child. Reading is about language. Immerse your child in
it. Talk often. Listen, and ask your child questions that require more than a one or two word
response (The Children's Reading Foundation , 2015)
In addition, we would like to invite you to participate in a parent information evening, during
which we will demonstrate the various instructional strategies we implement during our reading
block, such as questioning before, during and after reading, sight word activities in English and
Spanish, and how to support your children while reading, to just name a few. During this time,
we encourage you to share any questions and concerns you might have.

We are looking forward to collaborating with you on your childrens journey to reading
success. By working together, we can impress upon the students that their education is of utmost
importance to us and that we will support them on their way to a successful future.

Sincerely,
Paloma Caldera

References
Archuleta, N., & Media, D. (2015). Advantages of Pull Out ESL Classes. Retrieved
from Global Post : http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/advantages-pull-out-eslclasses-18279.html
Kist, W. (2010). The Socially Networked Classroom; Teaching in the New Media Age .
Thousand Oaks : Corwin .
Sustaining Reading First. (2009). Engaging Stakeholders Including Parents and the
Community to Sustain Improved Reading Outcomes. Sustainability Series(6),
3-14.
The Children's Reading Foundation . (2015). Parents and Caregivers Build Strong
Minds and Strong Relationships. Retrieved from The Children's Reading
Foundation : http://readingfoundation.org/the-solution/for-parents/?
gclid=CjwKEAjwxMetBRDJx6Sz2p7DsQ0SJADJHAqNdaXdOZ60avG2z1PbwmKWx-lMPEjbKZ39Vtb4gecKhoC-_Xw_wcB