Latino/a getting the help

We are entering the holidays and the teachers are asking me how we can help the Latino group so that they do not worry about their homework. Language learning is a major obstacle for Latino students. Recognizing this, teachers want to help students who have difficulty speaking English. However, schools can promote various resources to help Latino students on their path to learning English. I spoke with Palisade senior Edgar Serna who said, “They are always doing the best for the students but one thing they can do is have the work in Spanish. Having the work in Spanish is an advantage for us. Something they should do is have translators or students who speak English and Spanish well so that they can help us translate the works or what the teacher is demonstrating. But I am very grateful to the teachers for giving us their best efforts.” Diego Simon, a junior at Palisade added “They are doing everything well. They help us a lot but there is a linguistic obstacle and it would be better if they had a representative who speaks both languages” Teachers can offer bilingual resources, materials, and support to Latino students. Support from bilingual students can help students better understand and feel comfortable closing the language barrier. Pairing them with bilingual students who can help translate and explain concepts will be beneficial. I talked to student David Morales who said, “Make some copies of the works in Spanish, or what you are seeing in class, maybe make a presentation with a summary of what you have learned in Spanish.” Teachers can offer individual support to ensure these students have the opportunity to succeed. Teachers should call home and discuss their children’s progress, share strategies to support their learning at home and seek feedback from parents about their children’s needs. Being collaborative can help create a support network between teachers, parents, and students.