English Learner Parent Support

1. Keep routines as predictable as possible for your child.
   
2. Share facts about COVID-19 that your child understands.
3. Make time to listen to your child and encourage your child to share his or her feelings.
   
4. Make time for your family to play and relax.
   
5. Reach out for support when you, or your child, need it.
   

TEA has information for a variety of mental health resources that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Unless noted, resources are appropriate for all ages. These resources include:

• COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)

1-833-986-1919

Translation available in Spanish

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Crisis support for people thinking about suicide

1-800-273 TALK (8255)

Spanish Line: 1-888-628-9454
TTY: 1-800-799-4889 (Deaf and hard of hearing)

• National Crisis Text Line
  Counseling support by text

  Text “HOME” to 741741 - English only

• Information and Referral Line
  Comprehensive locator and service for social supports, including food, housing, money, legal, and additional mental and behavioral health services.

  2-1-1
  

  Translation available in Spanish

  
  

Safety is the brain’s most basic need, followed closely by connection. When we feel unsafe or disconnected, our brains downshift from the higher centers responsible for learning and problem solving to the lower reactionary centers. Here are tips and resources to make your family feel safe and connected:

-Be a safe place for your child. Helpful Free Resources:

• Printable: I Can Handle Scared Social Story
  
• Printable: Mi Libro: yo puedo con mi miedo
• Printable: How Do You Feel Chart
• Webinar: The Safe Place at Home with Nicole Mercer
• Webinar: Seeing Conscious Discipline in the Home with Nicole Mercer

-Focus on safety AND connection. Helpful Free Resources:

• Printable: Why Can’t I Go to School? Social Story (18 languages)
• Printable: Story Hand: Soothe Children’s Stress About COVID-19
• Printable: Safe Place Breathing Icons
• Printable: Breathing S.T.A.R.
• Printable: Four Elements of Connection
• Photo and video examples of breathing techniques in Shubert’s School

-Give children ways to contribute. Helpful Free Resources:

• “How-to” and examples of Ways to Be Helpful Board in Shubert’s Home
• Examples of focusing on safety and helpfulness during/after a crisis

BrainPOP Jr. has lots of fun and engaging videos for elementary-age students explaining many different math concepts including:

• addition and subtraction
• multiplication and division
• fractions
• measurement and data
• and MUCH more

Click here to access BrainPOP Jr. https://jr.brainpop.com/math/

(Please note that some of the videos require a paid subscription, but many of them are also available for free on YouTube.)

For older students in Middle and High School, BrainPOP has videos that help explain tough mathematical concepts such as:

• algebra
• data analysis
• ratio, proportion, and percent
• probability
• and MUCH more

Click here to access BrainPOP https://www.brainpop.com/math/

(Please note that some of the videos require a paid subscription, but many of them are also available for free on YouTube.)

Similar to BrainPOP Jr. and BrainPOP, Khan Academy offers TOTALLY FREE videos for every grade and every subject, including math! Click here to access Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/math