ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author starts by exploring some of the reasons why the gap between the engagement with those easier-to-reach families and black and minority ethnic (BME) families exists. She then moves on to capturing how a group of Bangladeshi-British parents talk about their children's early learning. Throughout, the author takes into consideration the different cultural backgrounds and expectations of this particular group, and demonstrates how their voices impacted her practice and consequently the children's development. She describes some of her journey to develop dialogue about formative assessment with an often marginalised community. The Bangladeshi community's first major wave of migration to England was in the 1960s, when men – the majority from the quiet rural region of Sylhet – migrated in the hope of a better life. Their wives and children followed in turn, leading to the growth of the community.
