Planning for Parental Involvement
The teacher suggests ways parents can support their child's learning at home or become more involved in school activities, fostering a strong home-school partnership.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
progress
Improvement or advancement in learning or development; useful in school contexts to talk about a child's growth.
eager
Very interested or excited about something; often used to show enthusiasm, like when parents want to help their child.
consistent
Happening regularly without interruption; important for describing habits like daily reading practice to build skills.
manageable
Easy to control or deal with; helpful when agreeing to a suggestion, like setting aside time for homework.
dedicating
Giving time or effort to a specific task; used for planning routines, such as dedicating time for math homework.
playfully
In a fun and light-hearted way; great for suggesting creative learning methods, like using games for math.
volunteers
People who offer to help without being paid; common in school settings to describe parent involvement in activities.
partnership
A cooperative relationship between two parties, like home and school; emphasizes teamwork for a child's success.
equipped
Prepared with necessary knowledge or tools; useful after receiving advice, to show feeling ready to act.
hesitate
To pause or delay due to uncertainty; often used in invitations, like 'don't hesitate to contact me' to encourage questions.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Thank you for coming in today, Mrs. Chen. I wanted to discuss a few ways we can work together to support Emily's progress.
This polite opening invites discussion; uses 'work together' to show collaboration. Useful for starting parent-teacher meetings. Grammar: Simple past 'wanted' for past intention.
I'm eager to hear your suggestions. I want to do whatever I can to help her succeed.
Shows enthusiasm and willingness; 'whatever I can' expresses full commitment. Great for responding positively in advice situations. Useful for parents showing support.
Consistent daily practice at home would be a huge benefit.
Suggests a routine for improvement; conditional 'would be' softens the advice. Practical for recommending study habits. Why useful: Demonstrates giving helpful tips.
That sounds manageable. We can definitely set aside time for that.
Agrees to a plan positively; 'set aside time' means to reserve time. Use this to show agreement in conversations about schedules. Grammar: 'Sounds' for opinion on feasibility.
I'd suggest dedicating a specific time for homework each evening.
Gives a recommendation politely with 'I'd suggest'; specifies routine. Useful for advising on daily habits. When to use: In educational discussions to propose ideas.
Are there any specific school activities you'd recommend I get involved in?
Asks for specific advice; 'get involved in' means to participate. Good for seeking ways to contribute. Grammar: Question form with 'would recommend' for polite inquiry.
Even just helping out once a month can truly strengthen our home-school partnership.
Encourages involvement; 'helping out' means assisting casually. Highlights benefits of small actions. Useful for motivating parents in school contexts.
I feel much more equipped to help Emily now.
Expresses newfound confidence after advice; 'feel more equipped' shows preparation. Use at end of helpful talks to thank and summarize. Why useful: Shows positive outcome.
A strong partnership between home and school is key to a child's success.
States an important idea; 'is key to' means essential for. Reinforces teamwork theme. Practical for closing discussions on collaboration.