Breaking barriers

Four days a week after school, some Grovetown Elementary School pupils practice basic life skills such as counting money to build their English speaking skills. Right beside them, their parents are also building their English vocabulary.

"I've had parents over the years who have come back to us to say they could go to the grocery store and talk to the cashier for once," Grovetown Principal Bob Boyd said.

Such programs for families of English as a Second Language pupils have allowed school personnel to bridge a communication gap with non-English speaking parents.

Mr. Boyd says the school treats these families like any other family but wants to help in any way possible as they learn English.

"They are proud of the fact they are learning English," Mr. Boyd said.

The Aiken County school district began offering open houses for ESL families to reiterate district policies and testing information. Columbia and Aiken counties also offer many of their forms in Spanish and English until parents are comfortable reading English.

"Parents don't usually participate in English, so during the separate open house we provide an interpreter," said Mary McGuire, of Aiken County schools. "More parents actually tend to show up."

Teachers are applying for grants to offer additional programs that bring ESL families into schools. Lori Rogers, who works with ESL pupils at Clearwater, Mossy Creek, Belvedere and Redcliffe elementary schools, received a grant to offer family reading nights at some of her schools.

The hourlong program offers social time for about a dozen families in her area, and each goes home with a book in English. Before receiving the book, Mrs. Rogers reads it for the group in English and Spanish and provides a lesson in life skills that relates to the book.

Last Thursday, families learned about money and buying items from a Berenstain Bears book.

"We still want parents to teach their children to use their language at home; we don't want them to lose that," Mrs. Rogers said. "And I've found that those who read Spanish learn English a lot quicker."

Parents say that while they enjoy a night out and a distraction for their children, they appreciate teachers making the effort.

"They are learning the language but participating at the same time," said Olga Araujo, a Clearwater Elementary parent. "The school and parents really bring everybody together for the students."

As ESL populations continue to grow in the area, districts are working to offer additional help even if they can't add another ESL teacher or class.

Aiken County offers teacher training on how to include English language learners more in their lessons. Grovetown Elementary is working on installing a messaging system so ESL parents will receive phone calls in Spanish later this year.

Reach Julia Sellers at (706) 823-3424 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com