Communication Styles – Supporting Staff

This section or excerpt of the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Self-Assessment for Early Head Start and Head Start Program Administrators requires administrators to reflect upon and rate themselves on whether or not culturally and linguistically competent communication styles are integrated into all aspects of programming and encouraged in staff supervision.

Please select A, B, or C for each of the items presented in this checklist

A = Things I do frequently
B = Things I do occasionally
C = Things I do rarely or never

In our Head Start or Early Head Start program:

A B C	1.	I encourage all staff and consultants to attempt to learn and use key words in the languages and dialects of the children and families served so that they are better able to communicate.
A B C	2.	I support all staff to attempt to determine any familial terms used by children and families that will assist and/or enhance the delivery of services and supports.
A B C	3.	I encourage all staff and consultants to use visual aids, gestures, and physical prompts in their interactions with children, parents, and other family and community members with limited English proficiency or who are English language learners.
	4.	I assist all staff and consultants to be aware that when interacting with parents, other family and community members with limited English proficiency or who are English language learners, that:
		A B C	Limitations in their ability to speak and/or understand English are not a reflection of intellectual functioning.
		A B C	Limitations in their ability to speak and/or understand the language of the dominant culture is not related to their ability to communicate effectively in their native or primary language.
		A B C	They may or may not be literate in their native or primary language or English.
A B C	5.	I encourage all staff and consultants to ensure that all bulletins, newsletters, and notices to parents are written in their native or primary language.
A B C	6.	I support all staff and consultants to understand that for some parents and family members it may be necessary to provide information in non-written formats, because word of mouth may be a preferred method of receiving information.
	7.	I assist all staff and consultants in their understanding of the definition and related practices of linguistic competency and I:
		A B C	Encourage them to apply them within our program.
		A B C	Encourage all staff and consultants to use them in their interactions with children, parents, family and community members.
A B C	8.	I encourage all staff and consultants to use bilingual or multilingual staff and/or trained/certified foreign language interpreters for meetings, conferences, or other events for parents and family members who may require this level of assistance.
A B C	9.	I encourage all staff and consultants to invite parents and family members to volunteer and assist with activities regardless of their ability to speak English.
A B C	10.	I encourage all staff and consultants to use a variety of approaches and formats to communicate with children, parents and other family members with disabilities.
A B C	11.	I encourage all staff to arrange accommodations for parents and family members who may require communication assistance (e.g. hard of hearing, visual disability, physical disability, low or no literacy) to ensure their full participation in all aspects of our Early Head Start or Head Start program.
A B C	12.	I encourage all staff and consultants to use plain language in interactions with parent, family and community members.

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