Researchers help caregivers complement classroom learning for multilingual learners

This summer, Clemson University College of Education researchers are celebrating a significant milestone for a project designed to develop the best approaches for teachers working with multilingual learners. By design, that milestone doesn't even involve teachers.

While the project has already graduated a cohort of educators from its M.Ed. in literacy program, it can now boast a graduating cohort of 25 caregivers from its literacy course. Multilingual learners are now getting the best support in the classroom and at home.

Faculty and researchers behind the M.Ed. in literacy were awarded a $2.1 million grant by the U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition for the "English Learner Instruction: Building Capacity Through Design" (CU Build ESOL) project. Its primary purpose was to enhance instructional capacity in two high-need school districts, so researchers knew that to achieve genuine improvement in literacy among ESOL students (English for speakers of other languages), it must involve parents and caregivers in addition to bolstering the capabilities of teachers.

Emily Howell, co-principal investigator on the project and assistant professor in literacy, said the literacy component of the course for caregivers was crucial to its success, just as the involvement of caregivers was crucial to student success.

"By empowering caregivers with effective literacy strategies, we are not only helping children become better readers and writers but also fostering a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom," Howell said. "This course underscores the importance of parental involvement in children's education and the profound impact it can have on their academic success and overall development."

Through coursework, caregivers learned to use research-based home literacy strategies to ensure their child has a strong foundation for success. The course covered various topics for supporting literacy and academic achievement in conjunction with classroom instruction, including an introduction to the South Carolina school system organization and home, legal, financial and health care literacy.

This diverse group of caregivers included recent immigrants and long-term residents of the U.S., with educational backgrounds ranging from high school diplomas to doctoral degrees. Predominantly Spanish speakers, the cohort also included speakers of Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Swahili, Creole, Marathi, Tagalog and Filipino, most of whom had children in elementary school-notably, 100% of participants completed and graduated from the course.

Mihaela Gazioglu, the course instructor for the research project, said each session was designed to provide caregivers with practical, hands-on strategies that enhance children's literacy skills and create a community of caregivers prepared to support multilingual students.

Participants learned how to create a rich literacy environment at home by integrating books, storytelling and language games into daily routines. The course also emphasized the importance of reading aloud and discussing stories to develop comprehension and critical thinking skills.

"Caregivers were encouraged to use their first languages at home, reinforcing the value of multilingualism and cultural heritage in their children's education," Gazioglu said. "The entire cohort demonstrated that caregivers could achieve professional growth while positively influencing their families and communities."

Researchers have collected reflections on the program from caregivers, and they are currently keeping identities anonymous so as not to influence research results. A caregiver and graduate of the program who is a native Spanish speaker said the course has had an unquestionably positive impact on her family's literacy practices.

The graduate said the course has helped her gain the strength to continue impacting her children's learning of two languages while considering their individual abilities. She said she has learned to create a more conducive, spontaneous, natural environment in her home where learning new vocabulary, words, sounds and pronunciation flow effortlessly.

Regarding the course content, this caregiver appreciated the flexibility of having online resources. The course provided numerous didactic tools to finalize participation and completion. It also served as a source of social support among all the parents involved, encouraging them to share their experiences and resources with one another.

"My children are advancing and gaining confidence in their communication and bilingual reading abilities," she said. "The course validates and promotes the importance of preserving cultural and language diversity and its impact on children's learning when incorporated into their daily life."

Other graduates, including an Arabic speaker, have noticed similar improvements, remarking that literacy games taught in the course have helped motivate their children to want to learn more at home and prepare them for future learning in the classroom. Others have observed how practical and fun the tools have been for their families to implement.

Rebecca Kaminski, the grant's principal investigator, noted that the research team's next objective will focus on recruiting the second cohort of caregivers who will begin the program in January 2026.

"We are excited to continue this journey with our next group of caregivers by building on the success of our first cohort," Kaminski said. "Our goal is to expand the program's impact by reaching more families and creating a broader support network for multilingual students."