There are many ways that bus drivers can support the English language learners (ELLs) who ride their buses. There are also things that transportation managers and administrators can do to improve communication and outreach among ELL families. Here are some ideas to get started!
We also have some related resources:
- A tip sheet for sharing
- A slide deck that features a professional learning session (below)
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the Douglas County School District (CO) for their contributions to this article!
On the Bus
Introduce yourself.
- Greet students with a smile and introduce yourself.
- Post your name on the bus.
- Post welcome signs in students' languages.
- Remember that each adult in a school community can make an important difference to an ELL.
Remember that ELLs may be new to the bus.
- ELLs may be riding the school bus for the first time. They (and their families) may be nervous!
- Patience can go a long way in helping your students adjust.
Help ELLs adjust to the bus.
- Ensure students know where to go.
- Pair students with a buddy if needed.
- Ask bus patrols or bus monitors to lend a hand.
Encourage good behavior.
To encourage good behavior, try the following:
- Choose a student of the month based on good behavior.
- Let parents know when students are behaving well.
- Try some ideas related to engaging students on the bus, such as these ideas for bus drivers from Edutopia.
Review safety rules.
- Review safety rules with students early and often.
- Use signs with visuals.
- If possible, use bilingual signs or add translated terms to safety signs.
Address safety issues promptly.
If a safety issue arises or you notice a recurring issue:
- Talk with a supervisor or administrator first
- Find out if better communication is needed
- Share your ideas for how to address the issue
Communicating with Families
Help families understand how the bus works.
- Let families know they need to be on time for the bus (both drop-off and pick-up).
- Confirm bus stops if needed and let students and families know where to ask questions.
- When in doubt, always double-check!
- Family liaisons may be able available to help answer questions.
- If you notice that there is a problem or confusion, bring the issue to a supervisor immediately.
Keep in mind that families may not be familiar with school routines.
Students and families may not be familiar with routines around:
- Arrival and dismissal
- Early release
- Inclement weather
Remind families about changes in the schedule and keep an eye out for issues or miscommunication.
Support family communication.
Find out how your district handles ELL family communication, such as:
- Interpreters or family liaisons
- A language line
- A language app
Ask for more training using these resources if needed.
Go over emergency procedures.
- Find out what to do in case of an emergency, including whom to contact that speaks families' languages.
- Keep in mind that students who speak English may revert to their language in an emergency.
Preventing Bullying
Watch out for bullying.
- Address any bullying on the bus immediately.
- ELLs and their families may not be familiar with school policies on bullying and they may be afraid to report any incidents.
Be aware of why ELLs may be bullied.
Students should not be bullied for any reason, including:
- Language
- Accent
- Country of origin
- Immigration status
- Cultural customs
- Food
- Dress
Immigrant Students
Know immigrant students' rights.
- All students have a right to a free public K-12 education, regardless of their (or their parents') immigration status.
- School staff should never ask or refer to students' or families' immigration status.
Ask for training on important policies.
It’s important to know what steps to take if law or immigration enforcement approaches your bus.
Ask supervisors for legal guidance and training your district’s policies about:
- Student privacy
- Interactions with law enforcement
- Interactions with immigration enforcement
Share ELL success stories.
- Share success stories about working with ELLs and ELL families with your colleagues and supervisors, no matter how small.
- This can help create a positive culture that supports students.
Celebrate achievements!
Celebrate the ways that bus drivers help students every day — and the ways they help their community!
- Kentucky school bus drivers are delivering tornado aid since classes are canceled (NPR)
- School Bus Wi-Fi Hotspots Aide Student Learning During COVID-19 Closures (School Transportation News)
- In Little Falls, bus drivers bring meals, smiles to home-bound students (MPR)
Ideas for Transportation Offices
Here are some recomendations for transportation managers and administrators. Several of these ideas come from Douglas County School District in Colorado.
- Coordinate with family liaisons to help explain schedules and routines to students and families, ideally before school starts. This training should include information about arrival and dismissal, early release, and inclement weather.
- Invite bus drivers to open house, back-to-school night, or other events where they can meet families. Bus drivers can share information about safety and expectations.
- Enlist bilingual parent volunteers to help at bus stops on a regular basis. (These volunteers don't ride the bus, but they can help with questions that arise at the bus stop.) Provide these volunteers with basic training about how bus schedules work and how to report any behavior issues.
- Show bus drivers how to use family communication apps to share updates or communicate important information.
- Find out if the school can offer families an information card in their language that lists the bus stop, the bus route number, pick-up/drop-off time, and an emergency contact.
- Translate the bus code of conduct into families' languages.
- Communicate with families if the school bus will have a new bus driver or a substitute driver, or if there is any change in schedule.
- Add a link on the transportation page with the name of the bus drivers and the route or school with a little biography and picture of the bus driver.
- Create a procedure for addressing behavior issues. For example, this might include a meeting with an assistant principal, families, students, bus driver, interpreter and/or family liaison.
- Bring buses to school celebrations and invite students and families to decorate buses with signs and items from different languages and cultures.
Professional Learning
This Colorín Colorado slide deck can be used for turnkey professional development sessions. Please share attribution to Colorín Colorado.
To get started, you need:
- How School Bus Drivers Can Support ELLs and ELL Families: Includes activities, discussion questions, and speaker's notes (also featured below)
We recommend customizing these sessions with screenshots of related platforms, policies, or resources from your setting.
To edit this presentation, you can download or copy the slides:
- File > Download (no Google account required)
- File > Make a copy (Google account required)
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