Family engagement is critical in fostering academic success among bilingual students, particularly in Title I schools serving marginalized communities. Research consistently highlights the importance of creating robust connections between schools and families to support the development of students who navigate dual language acquisition. Social capital—the resources embedded in relationships and networks—offers a powerful framework for enhancing family engagement in bilingual education. This article explores how schools can leverage social capital to strengthen family involvement and, in turn, improve educational outcomes for bilingual students.
Understanding Social Capital in the Context of Bilingual Education
Social capital encompasses the trust, norms, and networks that enable collective action and the sharing of resources. In educational contexts, social capital manifests through relationships among families, schools, and communities that facilitate access to information, advocacy opportunities, and mutual support. Social capital is particularly vital for bilingual students and their families as they often face linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers.
Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social capital emphasizes the unequal distribution of resources within networks, which can perpetuate inequities. In bilingual education, this inequity might manifest as a lack of access to information about school policies, curriculum, or opportunities for parental involvement. Therefore, schools are responsible for creating equitable spaces where families can build and leverage social capital to support their children’s education (Bourdieu, 2018).
Additionally, “funds of knowledge” and “community funds of identity” provide a framework for recognizing and integrating the cultural and experiential resources families bring to educational settings. These approaches challenge deficit thinking and emphasize the assets families and communities contribute to the learning environment (Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023; Moll et al., 2006).
Putnam (2000) highlights the role of social capital in fostering community cohesion and collective action, which is directly relevant to strengthening family-school partnerships in bilingual education. Valdés (1996) further emphasizes the importance of cultural respect and understanding in bridging gaps between diverse families and educational institutions.
Strategies for Building Social Capital to Enhance Family Engagement
- Facilitating Trust and Reciprocal Relationships Building trust between schools and families is foundational to creating social capital. Schools can achieve this by:
- Ensuring all communications are culturally and linguistically responsive (Kelty & Wakabayashi, 2020; Lansing et al., 2023).
- Hosting events that celebrate families’ diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, such as multicultural nights or bilingual storytelling sessions (Eden et al., 2024).
- Establishing parent-teacher liaisons who speak families’ home languages and can act as cultural brokers (Eden et al., 2024).
- Creating Networks for Collective Advocacy Social capital grows when families connect to address shared concerns. Schools can:
- Organize parent advisory councils for bilingual education programs (Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023).
- Facilitate workshops where families can learn about their rights and advocacy strategies within the educational system (Kelty & Wakabayashi, 2020).
- Encourage families to share resources and strategies for supporting bilingualism at home (Eden et al., 2024).
- Providing Access to Knowledge and Resources To empower families, schools must bridge gaps in access to knowledge and resources. This can be accomplished through:
- Offering workshops on navigating the educational system, understanding bilingual program models, and supporting literacy development in two languages (Moll et al., 2006; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023).
- Partnering with community organizations to provide technology access, language classes, and childcare during school meetings (Lansing et al., 2023; Eden et al., 2024).
- Creating bilingual newsletters and digital platforms where families can access updates and educational materials (Kelty & Wakabayashi, 2020).
- Recognizing and Valuing Family Contributions Families bring valuable knowledge and experiences that can enrich the educational environment. Schools should:
- Invite families to participate in curriculum development by sharing cultural traditions and linguistic expertise (Eden et al., 2024; Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023).
- Create opportunities for families to volunteer in classrooms as role models for bilingual students (Kelty & Wakabayashi, 2020).
- Recognize and celebrate families’ contributions through awards, shout-outs, and public acknowledgments (Eden et al., 2024).
Measuring the Impact of Social Capital on Family Engagement
To ensure that social capital-building initiatives are effective, schools must adopt strategies for assessment. These may include:
- Conducting surveys to measure changes in parental trust, sense of belonging, and involvement in school activities (Lansing et al., 2023).
- Tracking student outcomes such as attendance, academic achievement, and language proficiency (Kelty & Wakabayashi, 2020; Eden et al., 2024).
- Collecting qualitative feedback through focus groups or interviews with families and educators (Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023).
Conclusion
Leveraging social capital offers a promising pathway to enhance family engagement in bilingual education. By fostering trust, creating networks, providing resources, and valuing family contributions, schools can empower families to play active roles in their children’s academic journeys. This approach supports bilingual students and strengthens the broader educational community, fostering equity and inclusion in learning environments. Additionally, integrating the “funds of knowledge” and “community funds of identity” approaches into these strategies ensures that the cultural and experiential assets of families are acknowledged and utilized for the benefit of all students (Esteban-Guitart et al., 2023; Moll et al., 2006; Putnam, 2000; Valdés, 1996).
References
Bourdieu, P. (2018). The forms of capital. In The Sociology of Economic life (pp. 78-92). Routledge.
Coleman, J. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American journal of sociology, 94, S95-S120.
Eden, C. A., Chisom, O. N., & Adeniyi, I. S. (2024). Parent and community involvement in education: strengthening partnerships for social improvement. International Journal of Applied Research in Social Sciences, 6(3), 372-382.
Esteban‐Guitart, M., Iglesias, E., Serra, J. M., & Subero, D. (2023). Community funds of knowledge and identity: A mesogenetic approach to education. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 54(3), 307-317.
Kelty, N. E., & Wakabayashi, T. (2020). Family engagement in schools: Parent, educator, and community perspectives. Sage Open, 10(4), 2158244020973024.
Lansing, A. E., Romero, N. J., Siantz, E., Silva, V., Center, K., Casteel, D., & Gilmer, T. (2023). Building trust: Leadership reflections on community empowerment and engagement in a large urban initiative. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1252.
Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (2006). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. In Funds of knowledge (pp. 71-87). Routledge.
Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon Schuster.
Valdés, G. (1996). Con respeto: Bridging the distances between culturally diverse families and schools: An ethnographic portrait. Teachers College Press.