HOLA:   The Language and Cultural Exchange Program for Children 

(Harmony and Opportunity through Language Acquisition)

In light of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) system-wide transition to Dual Language education, we believe (in line with research) that in order for multilingual/multicultural schools to be academically successful, children should befriend one another and should learn at least a little bit about each other's languages and cultures, so that they can feel safe and valued in school.  The power of this program is the hope that it will go beyond the schoolhouse doors and into our conflict-ridden communities, building respect, friendship and bridges of support.

         To help remedy conflict between different language communities within schools, the HOLA program proposes to begin working with the youngest grade levels in AISD schools that have large and separate language communities in contact.  HOLA instruction would bring bilingual Spanish and English-only students together to learn about each other’s cultures in Spanish and in English while gaining language skills.  Then, HOLA project coordinators would go an extra step to perform outreach with parents in their primary language while holding workshops and facilitating family activities that encourage parental involvement in a multilingual and cross-cultural setting.

          Our goals of instruction in Spanish and English are:

(1) To bring language learning as a cultural gain to children’s academic development.  Both children's primary and second languages would be enhanced in a collaborative supportive environment.

(2) To create a space for cross-cultural exchange within the school day.  Children would become closer to peers who share their school but are different from them, and learn valuable lessons about sharing and differences that will build solidarity in the Austin community.

 Our goals of parental involvement outreach are:

 (1) To cultivate familiarity and comfort across communities of parents, in order to build mutual understanding and support networks between different ethnic/racial/language groups, in the schools and in the community. 

 (2) To provide support for parents that will need training and tools to further learning activities in the second language enhancement or acquisition at home.  Positive reinforcement of lessons and continuous language exposure will encourage language skills and class participation.   

Project Coordinators

        A vital component of the HOLA Program is the use of Project Coordinators.  Considering data from Child Inc.’s Head Start Program in Austin, Texas, that further confirms the significant impact that early environment has on a child’s vocabulary, HOLA Project Coordinators will work with parents to target vocabulary-building exercises. 

       The average child enrolling in Head Start has a 19-month delay in the development of his or her vocabulary.  As posited by Hart and Rinsley in, Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children, neither race/ethnicity nor gender matters, but what matters very much is a relative economic advantage.  Their basic finding is that children who learn fewer words also have fewer experiences with words in interactions with other persons, and they also tend to be growing up in less economically advantaged homes. 

      Dale Russakoff, in his commentary appearing in the Austin American Statesman (December 28, 2009), notes the urgency of identifying and implementing strategies to support low-income parents in the educational achievement of their children.  He states, “rather than chanting the familiar mantra that parental involvement helps students, it is time to tackle the reasons the current approach isn’t working for everyone, and seize this opportunity to lower the tall barriers to achievement facing low-income children”. 

In this spirit, HOLA Project Coordinators will take on   responsibilities that include strengthening parents’ abilities as teachers and advocates for their children, regardless of economic advantage.  HOLA Project Coordinator duties include: 

q  Meet with parents one-on-one at their home or a place of their choosing; number of meetings open.  The purpose of each meeting is to: 

n  Ensure that the parents understand the program, its goals, and the activities in which their children are engaged as part of the program.   

n  Share with parents scaffolding tools and activities that they can do with their children at home to further foster learning.  These resources will be created in Spanish and English respective to the primary language spoken by parents.  Take-home kits will progress and build upon teacher lesson plans.  They may be composed of the following: 

·         Take-home sheets describing the lessons and themes covered in class such as vocabulary and activities. 

·         Audio CD of thematic vocabulary, common phrases and terms (in English and in Spanish) to use with their children for learning and reference (see appendix G, “Fun Words for Parents” for as example)

n  Learn of any concerns parents may have about the program or their child’s progress.

 n  Help foster communication between the parent and teacher.   

q  Meet with teachers and Parent Support Specialists on a TBD basis to discuss any concerns or barriers to the child’s progress in the program.

q  Collaborate with campus Parent Support Specialists to: 

n  Develop a holistic approach to student and family success by a consistent dialogue with Parent Support Specialists regarding program activities and workshops. 

n  Locate and help bridge communication gaps with particular families of students enrolled in program.   

q  Have periodic activities for parents to come together with the goal of fostering greater understanding of each other’s culture and experiences.  Note: The activities described in the section on cross-cultural interactions can be adapted for use with parents. 

 

HOLA: After-school Program in Austin, Texas

     HOLA’s after-school activities are a Spanish/English language and cultural exchange project. After-school activities focus on bringing together students of separated language communities, Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking, to learn Spanish and English literacy through music, art and games. Language learning and the benefits of brain development that come with learning a second language are best achieved pre-adolescence, so, we aim to work with the youngest grade levels we can reach.

     TOG believes that crossing ethnic and racial social boundaries is best done at the earliest ages to help students overcome stereotypes about others and themselves as well as adversities when they first appear. HOLA envisions success in integrating diverse groups of students by providing them with the essential tools to communicate with each other across languages and cultures. HOLA ultimately aims to foster tolerance and economic advantages through academic bilingual and multicultural proficiency for low-income communities.

Learn More about the Pilot Project...