After Pembroke Public Schools in Massachusetts shut down amid the coronavirus outbreak in March, teacher Elizabeth Emmons started each weekday checking in with her kindergartners via Google Meet.

She and her co-teacher watched sleepy children appear on screen, one by one. Some, propped in bed with their tablets, had clearly just woken up. She emailed and texted links to parents to help them log in to the call. And Emmons, who teaches English as a Second Language, messaged the parents of stragglers using the text translation app Remind. Once convened, the class sang together, discussed their weekend activities or played a game.

As her co-teacher led the lesson, Emmons translated instructions and information into the languages her students and their parents speak — Arabic, Portuguese and Vietnamese. Parent engagement is essential for students so young, particularly when instruction happens only online.

That is just one of many challenges with remote learning in the early grades.

Keeping the youngest students — who typically have the shortest attention spans — on track academically is difficult. Teachers also have to engage all students, being mindful to overcome language barriers and accommodate disabilities. Teachers can’t see what is happening offline.