TA speaks in a different language to some of the parents

[bunchoftulipsanddaffs]

Some of the parents at school are grumbling that the TA in our class speaks to parents in her/their first language rather than English. I am confused about why they think this is wrong (except of course everyone can understand what she is saying when she is speaking English and most of us can’t when she is not).

Could I have your thoughts please? There is talk of making a complaint and I’d like to hear views.

I think the only issue I could see with a TA speaking in a different language would be whether s/he are giving the right information to the parents. If the school has decided that it is acceptable it should make the policy clear where it is appropriate to use a different language.

GerryblewuptheER

I know exactly which languages are spoken there! It is YOU who doesn’t know my role or my job and has just made stuff up, lied, to make your point lol!

I work with the local refugee forum, and historically the parents have really struggled to communicate with school, and forum volunteers would have to support them. However we now have former refugees working (as TAs and as teachers) and volunteering in the schools so the newer parents can approach them for support when needed. It's made such a difference for the children but also for the confidence and integration of the parents.

This has a whiff of 'when in England, speak English" about it. Fear and paranoia alive and well, even in the school playground it seems.

I think it is great that the TA has language skills and shows that she is trying to work well with parents. In any case, one-on-one conversations with a TA about your child should be relatively private to you, so it shouldn't matter at all that the English speakers can't understand!

If the TA's English isn't great that is more of a concern, although there is so much competition for term-time only jobs that in my experience TAs are usually over-qualified rather than under-qualified these days.

@Forallthesaints Here in London there are often adult community education centres or outreach programmes actually attached to schools, for that very reason! They are great. However sadly many councils are having to cut funding for this sort of thing and I know from friends in other areas that English language classes are not available at all. I totally agree that we should be investing more in it as it helps people to really become part of their community and integrate.

If it is because the parents English is not very good or they don't speak English at all then it is best for the child that the parents understand what the TA is saying. It would therefore be very mean to make an issue out of it.

If they are gossiping then that is another matter but I expect that is not likely.

Unescorted

Personally I think it is more of an issue that the TA’s English isn’t that good!

The OP hasn't said that - it could be the TA fully bilingual in both English and their other language.

I did say that 🙂

That's so silly, having more languages around is such a good thing for DC.

I used to work with a Polish preschool teacher and it was so nice for the Polish little ones to at least have something familiar when starting nursery and to be able to ask for the toilet/glass of water.

I started school not speaking English and it was so stressful...I remember one time they were going to call a doctor!/my DM but all I wanted was some custard with my school dinner (I was trying to say something similar to panna, the Italian word for cream but I kept saying pain! pain!)

forallthesaints even if there is amazing English language training available and all in need can access it freely at suitable times (and have the free-time to go along) it still wouldn't mean that everyone could follow an English language conversation or announcement without help. Imagine dropping into the Spanish speaking school your kids are attending because you've emigrated. You're two months into your Spanish lessons, how well would you cope? Would it be helpful to grab the English speaking TA to clarify the areas you missed? Perhaps the other English speaking parents join this clarification chat. Should the TA immediately stop explaining or is it a really helpful parental resource?

bellabasset Good advice, thank you very much. Yes, it should be school policy in those circumstances.

bunch

If you are as you come.across I would not be at all surprised if you werent In full possession of all the facts.

I cant fathom.why you would object to a staff member making sure that parents can understand what they are being told.

You sound more and more that you are just pissed at not being involved in every little thing

Some people get outraged that people dare speak another language in front of them, it’s nothing but sheer entitlement of insisting they be able to hear/understand everything around them despite it being a big plate of none of their business.

I think it’s only a good thing for kids to be exposed to other languages, and especially helpful if those particular parents need help with their English and have another way to communicate.

People are weird about other languages. Correction, many English people are weird about about other languages. Most other European cultures take it for granted that educated people will be reasonably fluent in at least one or more other languages in addition to their mother tongue. Many middle eastern/Asian cultures are the same. For English people this is not the case we are resolutely monolingual and see it as something positive and quirky rather than a deficit model which is denying us access to other ways of thinking and seeing the world and communications with other people. In addition we value languages in odd ways, some European languages good, other European languages not good. Most Indian languages un cool , Chinese languages and Japanese cool.

I have had parents berating me for teaching children a song for Diwali in Urdu , as though mangling the words of a two verse children's song was somehow undermining their child's entire British heritage, and what's more apparently managing to teach them fluent Urdu in a week.

I don’t see a problem with this. At all. Even for parents speaking another language that is not English and not the one the TA can speak, well maybe they are jealous but who cares.

I think the only issue I could see with a TA speaking in a different language would be whether s/he are giving the right information to the parents.

Would you have the same concern if they were speaking in English? Should they only speak when under the supervision of a teacher?

GerryblewuptheER

You’re making stuff up again!

You say I am objecting to a staff member’s actions. Where did I say that?! I have never said that, you just made it up!

What theducksaysmoo and viques say!

The parents who are objecting should try putting themselves in to the shoes of the parents who don't yet speak good English and try and develop some ruddy compassion.

Sorry I didn't clock you were one & the same. If that is the case and it impacts on their job then they have a case on that basis. Not because they are speaking in another language to another parent.

I think the only issue I could see with a TA speaking in a different language would be whether s/he are giving the right information to the parents.

This was my first thought.

When I worked in a call centre one of my Polish colleagues one took a call from a fellow Polish lady who was really struggling to understand the T&Cs. He re-read them out in Polish to help her out and got a right royal bollocking from the management. Bit silly really, as I thought it would reflect quite well on the company that they were able to do something like that.

Hopefully the school will tell them to eff off!!

You are right to be annoyed OP. It is the damned “Speak English we are in England” which most of the time is used by racists to put down people who are not even talking to them.

Schools can’t provide English classes for parents, parents will learn the language in time, showing a bit of good will while they learn should not be judged a bad thing.

I bet the complaining parents are the kind of people who go abroad and expect the host country to provide them with an “England but under the Sun”

I don't think this is so simple potentially.

If she is having 1-2-1 conversations with parents about their own child and it is the language the parent feels more comfortable and can understand better in then it's great and much better all round. I think it is only beneficial to the school, child and parents to have a TA with that ability.

However if she's using it to address a group, then it does become more difficult. Is it a conversation that others may benefit from joining, but can't due to the language barrier?

I've also been in the situation where I walked into a room and the couple in there promptly switched language. I don't think their conversation had anything to do with me, no reason for it, but I felt uncomfortable. I think partially because it was a clear "keep away" message to me, and partially because you do wonder what it is they didn't want you to overhear.
Yes, there can be times when it may be better for another parent not to overhear-or you just don't want them to, but then I think they should be in private anyway.
If the perception is (whatever the reality) that the TA switches language to stop non-speakers from understanding I can understand how people feel uncomfortable with that.

But all in all, I think it would generally be considered to be a good thing, and if anything, the school should be making use of this skill as much as possible.

What a lovely TA. As an immigrant myself and not being fluent in the local language (because it's bloody hard!) I really appreciate when DD's teachers speak to me in English, some do and some don't but her daycare teacher was the best, always spoke to me in English and when DD first started spoke to her in English too to make her feel more at home.

As far as I know, no information has been given out incorrectly in the other language. There been a couple of cases where the TA’s English has caused confusion. Once when she told parents that something was voluntary and it was not, it was a school rule. Another time when she corrected a child’s grammar incorrectly (to do with plurals).

This is a different issue to that which the parents are discussing complaining about however.

In that case disregard the complaint from the parents about the talking in a forrin language to others. And address the other points as you would any other time an employee doesn't meet expected standards.