Research in home-school communication has incorporated little, to date, about participation by English as a second language (ESL) parents. This article examines the communication processes between recent Chinese immigrant parents and Canadian teachers at secondary school Parents' Nights. Drawing from observations of three annual Parents' Nights, interviews with teachers and bilingual assistants who acted as interpreters for parents, and focus groups, this study revealed that teachers and parents held conflicting expectations of Parents' Night. Such a mismatch of expectations could make their communications difficult even before meeting at Parents' Night. The organization and delivery of Parents' Nights made it clear that parent participation was strongly limited by a structure of power often faced by marginalized parents within the school space. The study suggested that it is important to move beyond cultural differences to understand actual ESL parent-teacher interactions and that using bilingual assistants or liaisons may help parents participate fully in Parents' Nights or similar school events. Implications for the future development of ESL parent-teacher communication are considered. (Contains 1 table and 6 endnotes.)