Correct Response: C. Research indicates that family engagement plays a critical role in the educational success of all students, including English language learners. However, because of language barriers and other factors, families of English language learners may not be familiar with school practices nor feel comfortable venturing into the school setting. In this scenario, the ESL teacher is proactive in trying to break down some of those barriers by finding a community organization to help the teacher engage with a family who is new to the school and whose cultural background and home language are unfamiliar to the teacher. A is incorrect because the teacher is attempting to facilitate communication between the student's family and the school, not necessarily between the school and the community. B is incorrect because in the scenario described the teacher is using the community organization to try to reach out to the family to help them better understand various aspects of the school program. At this point, the teacher is not trying to educate himself/herself about the student's home culture or way of life. D is incorrect because the scenario does not indicate whether the teacher is trying to avoid stereotypes or unfair beliefs about a particular group of people. Indeed, the scenario explicitly states that the teacher is unfamiliar with the student's home culture.
