TIPS Language Arts

Encourages teachers to design homework that builds students' skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening through communications with family partners;
Guides students to conduct, discuss, and enjoy language arts activities at home;
Enables parents to stay informed about their children's language arts work and progress;
Encourages parents to communicate with teachers about their observations and questions concerning their children's homework and progress in language arts.

TIPS Language Arts Format

Letter to parent, guardian, or family partner explains the purpose of the activity. The student writes in the due date and signs the letter.
Objectives explain the learning goal of the activity if this is not clear in the title and letter.
Materials are listed if more than paper and pen are needed.
In writing activities: Prewriting gives the student space to plan a letter, essay, or story by outlining, brainstorming, listing, designing nets and webs, or other planning activities.
Interactions such as a family survey guide the student to interview someone for ideas or memories, read work aloud for reactions, edit their work based on responses, practice a speech, take turns with others in giving ideas, and other interactions.
Home-to-school communication invites the family partner to share comments and observations with language arts teachers about whether the child understood the homework, whether they both enjoyed the activity, and whether the parent gained information about the student's work in language arts.
Parent signature is requested on each activity.

Use clear, readable type on two sides of one page.
Print on light colored paper that stands out in students' notebooks and is easy on the eyes.
Assign on a regular schedule (e.g., no more than once a week or every other week) to help students share their work, and to keep families aware of what their children are learning in language arts or English classes.

Epstein, J. L. (2001). Chapter 6 in School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Epstein, J. L. & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2002). Chapter 8 in School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Your Handbook for Action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Press.
Epstein, J. L., Simon, B. S., & Salinas, K. C. (1997). Involving parents in homework in the middle grades. Phi Delta Kappa Research Bulletin, 18. (Abstract)