Reflections on Teaching Multilingual Learners

Multilingual students who have been in U.S. schools for 6 or more years and have not yet been reclassified as fluent English proficient are referred to as long-term English learners, or LTELs. There are significant numbers of these students in American schools, and we need to take a serious look at how to best support their academic and linguistic growth.   

Too often multilingual learners are passed from class to class, and grade to grade with the assumption that, given time, they will advance in their English language proficiency. However, academic language doesn’t develop simply through exposure to English in school. The best outcomes result from teachers providing consistent instructional supports for making grade-level content comprehensible while at the same time focusing on academic language development. 

Apathy can be insidious among long-term English learners. Some students understandably have lost a degree of motivation; they have struggled academically for years. Unfortunately, teachers sometimes also become apathetic about multilingual learners and inadvertently have low expectations for them. 

The following are four ways to reduce apathy and to support the needs of long-term English learners.

1. Practice student agency.  Capitalize on the assets and interests students bring to the classroom by providing activities that are meaningful and relevant to them. Allow students to complete assignments through alternative means, driven by their interests, with appropriate guidance from teachers. Student agency gives students voice and often, choice, in how they learn. In so doing, students are empowered to take responsibility for their own learning, which is sure to increase motivation. 
2. Develop a learning profile. Since LTEL students have been in U.S. schools for at least 6 years, they have a foundation of knowledge and skills on which to build. For each LTEL student find out: What are her strengths? Where are there gaps in learning? Which specific literacy skills need targeted instruction? If a student has strong listening and speaking skills, less time needs to be devoted to oral language activities and more time spent on the area that will get them “over the hump” in attaining proficiency. In creating a learning profile, teachers get to know each LTEL student as an individual learner and can better tailor instruction to meet their academic and linguistic needs.  
3. Use proven instructional strategies and techniques. Students who have yet to reach English proficiency likely have not had the benefit of instruction that provides access to the core curriculum and is designed with their linguistic needs in mind. In research with the SIOP Model, multilingual learners whose teachers consistently used proven instructional supports outperformed those students whose teachers were more hit-or-miss in their use of supports. Quality of teaching matters. 
4. Collaborate with colleagues. During grade level planning or in a PLC, the progress of LTELs should be part of the discussion. Share ideas that have worked, offer one another suggestions for helping LTELs access grade-level materials, and discuss ways to integrate language development into content lessons. Creating a community of support with fellow teachers benefits LTEL students and teachers alike. It’s a win-win. 

It has become popular – and accurate – to say that every teacher is a language teacher. Each content area has its own topic-specific terminology such as parameter in math, photosynthesis in science, coup in social studies and character traits in English language arts. In addition, language is used in ways that may be unfamiliar to multilingual learners. The use of various English sentence structures, language forms, and general vocabulary encountered across content areas are examples of language use that may prove challenging for multilingual learners. 

Language is learned and practiced most effectively in context rather than through isolated tasks such as fill-in-the-blank worksheets or a list of words to look up in the dictionary. Instead, while students are immersed in a topic, the teacher highlights and discusses key vocabulary and capitalizes on other language-learning opportunities throughout a lesson. The following are four ways that teachers can ensure that they are developing students’ English proficiency while teaching content.

By the way, many native English-speaking students benefit from a focus on academic language development as well. Studies have shown that English speakers are not disadvantaged by using techniques that are intended to support multilingual learners. 

1. Design and Post Language Objectives: One of the most effective ways to integrate language and content is by setting clear language objectives for each lesson. This means defining specific language skills or functions that students should be able to use or demonstrate by the end of the lesson. For example, a language objective for a science lesson might be for students to be able to ask and answer questions using scientific vocabulary. By focusing on language objectives in addition to content objectives, teachers help students learn and practice specific academic language which will also deepen their understand of the content.  

2. Explicitly Teach and Practice Vocabulary: Vocabulary is a crucial component of language and content integration. Teachers help students understand and remember content by explicitly teaching the vocabulary words and concepts that are necessary for understanding the content. This can include pre-teaching vocabulary before a lesson, creating word walls, or having students create their own vocabulary notebooks. In addition, teachers can use visuals and graphic organizers to help students connect new vocabulary to what they already know. Think about the multiple meanings of the word current. It may be part of the term, “current events” in social studies, the flow of water in science, current meaning up-to-date, and electrical current. Students may know one meaning of the word but be confused when it is used in another subject area with another meaning. The teacher takes time to discuss these homonyms and clarify the meaning of each one. Multilingual learners benefit from developing word consciousness. That is, they begin to see relationships between words, word parts, the connection between English words and words that are like their home language, called cognates (admit in English and admitir in Spanish) and so forth. 

3. Plan for Peer Interaction: Encouraging peer interaction is another effective way to integrate language and content. By giving students opportunities to interact with one another in meaningful ways, they can practice using the language they are learning while engaged in activities that deepen their content knowledge. This can include group work, partner activities, or class discussions. Teachers can also provide support by giving students sentence starters, language frames, or guiding questions to help facilitate communication.

4. Make Content Comprehensible: Finally, making content understandable is key to integrating language and content. This means using strategies to support students in understanding the content, even if they are still developing their English language skills. Effective teachers use visuals and multimedia to illustrate content concepts, break down complex concepts into more manageable parts, use hands-on activities, and provide clear explanations. Additionally, teachers adjust their language by using simpler vocabulary, shorter sentences, and more concrete examples to support student understanding, especially for beginning speakers. 

By using these four strategies, teachers help students make connections between language and content, allowing them to use language as a tool for learning and understanding. This can result in improved language proficiency and greater academic success for all students.

Using evidence-based teaching practices is important for all learners, including multilingual learners, because it ensures that the instructional strategies and techniques used in the classroom are effective. We use the term evidence-based because these teaching practices are supported by empirical evidence and have been shown to improve learning outcomes for students.

Some strategies and interventions are appealing to teachers, especially if students seem to enjoy them, but when working with multilingual learners, evidence-based teaching practices are especially important since these learners have unique learning needs. They are learning new material and skills in a new language and, as a result, may struggle with aspects of learning such as understanding the lesson’s content, learning and retaining vocabulary words, and expressing their ideas in their second language.

All teaching with multilingual learners should have at it foundation a welcoming classroom environment. A positive and inclusive classroom environment is crucial to the academic success of multilingual students. This includes honoring their lived experiences, displaying cultural artifacts, and recognizing the value of different languages. Within an inclusive environment, the following evidence-based teaching practices can help teachers plan and deliver lessons that support multilingual learners in their content learning and language development.

1. Use multimodal instructional materials: Supplement grade-level texts without “watering down” the material. Using a variety of instructional materials such as videos, images, audio, and interactive media can help to engage multilingual learners and promote deeper understanding. These materials serve as a scaffold to make sense of grade-level text.

2. Teach key vocabulary: Teaching key vocabulary is an effective way to support the learning of multilingual students. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between vocabulary knowledge and student achievement. It is therefore necessary to explicitly teach academic language and academic content vocabulary, including explicitly teaching words that are critical to understanding the subject matter. Perhaps as important, students need adequate opportunities to practice in using the words in context.

3. Connect to student background: Learning is more meaningful when it is relevant to students. Teachers use students’ cultural backgrounds and lived experiences to connect to lessons which can enhance student engagement and understanding. Using real- world examples that are relevant to students’ lives and experiences helps them see the relevance of what they are learning and make connections to their own lives. Also, make connections between English and the students’ home languages so that the relationship between the language they know and the one they are learning is clear. Point out cognates, ask students to translate words and sentences into their home language, and the like.

4. Use visuals: Using visuals such as pictures, diagrams, and videos can be an effective teaching strategy for multilingual learners. Visuals and multimedia help to provide context and promote understanding, regardless of the student’s level of proficiency in the language of instruction.

5. Provide clear instructions: Providing clear and concise instructions is essential for multilingual learners to understand what is expected of them. Instructions should be explained clearly and written for students to refer to as the lesson unfolds. Many multilingual learners may be reticent about asking for clarification, especially in front of the class, so it is incumbent upon the teacher to make sure the steps for completing work are clear, concise and posted for student to see.

6. Using probing questions or topics in discussion: A good idea for this type of approach is to open a discussion about a controversial topic. This is a great way to get all students alert and engaged. Make sure that all forms of responses are accepted (e.g., agree/disagree, short answers, and sketching an idea) because although multilingual learners are capable of thinking about higher order concepts and answering higher order questions, their expression may not match their level of thinking. We want to elicit what they think and know, not their level of English proficiency.

7. Provide opportunities for language practice: Providing multilingual learners with opportunities to practice their language skills can help them develop confidence and fluency in the language of instruction. This can be accomplished through activities such as group discussions, debates, and presentations. Also collaborative learning can be an effective strategy for multilingual learners as it encourages peer-to-peer learning and provides opportunities for language practice. Turn and talk is a common technique but there are innumerable ways to structure peer interaction so that partners work together to accomplish an academic task.

8. Use hands-on activities. Lessons should include multiple opportunities to use hands-on materials or manipulatives to learn and practice the content and should include activities for students to apply content and language knowledge in their learning. Hands-on activities and materials enable students to forge connections between abstract and concrete concepts. Students make these connections most effectively when they are engaged in activities that integrate all language skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

9. Keep the focus on the lesson’s content and language objectives: At the outset of the lesson, teachers orally share posted objectives for the lesson. The content objectives are often found in the text or are based on content standards. Language objectives make visible the language that will be learned or practiced during the lesson. Once the objectives are reviewed, teachers make sure that the lesson’s activities support those objectives. When students know what content and language to focus on – based on objectives – their attention is captured and keeps them more actively engaged.

10. Use a variety of assessment methods: Using a variety of assessment methods can help to accurately gauge the progress and understanding of multilingual learners. This includes both formal and informal assessment methods, such as classroom discussions, quizzes, and presentations. Throughout the lesson, and especially at the end, it is important to determine how well students have understood and have retained key vocabulary and content concepts.

Evidence-based teaching practices can help educators design instruction that is culturally responsive and relevant to the diverse backgrounds and experiences of multilingual learners. To ensure that these practices are present in all lessons, many educators use the the SIOP Model lesson planning and delivery framework which is teacher-friendly and has been shown to be effective in improving student achievement as well as English language development. By incorporating evidence-based teaching practices such as SIOP, educators can create a learning environment that supports multilingual learners’ academic success and fosters their engagement and motivation.

We’re delighted to announce that a new edition of Making Content Comprehensible for Multilingual Learners: The SIOP Model is hot off the presses. Why a new edition? What educators know about effective instruction continues to evolve as we learn more from research and practice. Over the past decade, understanding of effective sheltered instruction and the needs of multilingual learners has grown substantially. As a result, there are new trends in teaching multilingual learners which are included in the book, highlighted below. 

Perhaps most notable is that we have added a new author to our SIOP team, Dr. Katie Toppel, who brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and knowledge to the team.

What are the most significant changes? 

• Asset orientation. Since the creation of SIOP, we have consistently adhered to an asset orientation, but you will find it more prominently presented in this edition. We emphasize that multilingual learners bring cultural, linguistic, and experiential assets to the classroom and give concrete examples of how teachers can and must acknowledge those assets and build upon them instructionally. Another way we emphasize an asset orientation is a change of the book’s title. We have previously used the term, English Learners, but Multilingual Learners more accurately captures the linguistic abilities of these students. Oh, that we all were multilingual!
• Use of the home language. There is growing understanding that students benefit from using their full linguistic repertoire in two or more languages purposefully to accomplish a task. Translanguaging in a SIOP classroom is a pedagogical practice that encourages students to use and apply the knowledge they have gained through any language medium (e.g., meaning of words in their home language) to make meaning and perform instructional activities. You’ll find more explicit attention in chapters as to how teachers can use translanguaging practices and build upon students’ home languages and other assets. Further, SIOP Feature 19 has been slightly reworded to make it clear that using the home language in class strategically can help students acquire English and deepen their content knowledge. 
• New chapter, Collaborative Practices for Implementing the SIOP Model. Collaboration between ELD/ESL specialists and general education teachers is essential for providing coherent, effective services for multilingual learners. Co-teaching is most effective so that both teachers support one another. This important new chapter provides a detailed explanation of how to implement the co-teaching process effectively. Included are profiles of a general education teacher and ELD/ESL specialist to illustrate the co-teaching process. ELD/ESL specialists and general education teachers will find the content of this chapter to be an invaluable guide for effective collaboration.
• New chapter on Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Multilingual Students (MTSS). Many educators are concerned about multilingual learners who exhibit reading or learning problems and are struggling academically because of them. Few books about teaching multilingual learners address the topic of using data-driven supports to improve students’ academic performance. We provide an illustrated step-by-step process to help educators navigate MTSS with attention to the special considerations needed with multilingual learners. The chapter also includes three case studies of struggling multilingual learners and demonstrates how these students move through the process.
• Focus on technology. During remote learning, teachers found the use of technology to be essential for teaching. Competence in technology went from a skill that was nice to have to one that was a must-have. Accordingly, we’ve integrated technology throughout the chapters to reflect the competence teachers have developed in embedding technology in their lessons. We’ve also added more ideas for using technology for remote learning, which remains a reality for some teachers.
• Teaching ideas. Teachers enjoy learning a new activity or teaching idea to use with their students that reinforces their explicit teaching. You’ll find innumerable fresh, new, use-tomorrow ideas and activities throughout the chapters. 
• Research. Research studies and syntheses conducted in the past decade are included throughout the book to ensure that multilingual students are receiving instruction that is grounded in proven, tested practices. In sections that address literacy and multilingual learners, studies from the body of research known as the science of reading (SOR) are included. 
• Additional resources. There are links to new videos, revised teaching scenarios for practice in analyzing and rating lessons, revised discussion questions and application exercises for use in teacher preparation classes or professional learning networks (PLNs), an updated list of resources for further information, including books, journal  articles, book chapters, and downloadable research briefs. Also there are links to blogs and a link for information about SIOP professional development, http://siop .savvas.com

We are gratified that for more than 20 years SIOP has provided a resource that, simply put, helps teachers help kids. With SIOP now being used in dozens of countries, and with over 50 peer-reviewed published research studies demonstrating its effectiveness, we hope that the new edition of our book will continue to positively impact the education of multilingual learners. 

If you haven’t yet heard educators use the term, translanguaging, you will soon. Although the term is not new in linguistics, there is growing awareness about what it is and its relevance to education and practices in the classroom.

Translanguaging, put simply, is when bilingual or multilingual individuals use a combination of two languages to communicate. We sometimes think of the brain as having separate compartments for each language such as one area for English and another for Farsi. A completely erroneous idea is that one language could potentially crowd out space for another language. It is this and other misconceptions about language development that has led some teachers to be concerned that if students continue to develop their home language, it will interfere with English language acquisition. 

The fact is the human brain doesn’t process languages separately. As researchers have explained, multilingual students have one complex linguistic system that can have features of one, two, or more languages. In school, students draw on these linguistic resources to communicate and make sense of instruction. 

My first experience with translanguaging was a few decades ago when I had returned from teaching at a university in Taiwan. I had been immersed in the Chinese (Mandarin) language for a year and shortly after returning to the U.S., I had a professional meeting. Several times when the individual gave me information, I replied, “Hǎo de” (okay). When I left, I felt mortified and hoped he hadn’t noticed. At that time, I didn’t realize that it was natural to process language in English while drawing on Chinese as well. 

More recently, I’ve been observing two babies, both just over a year old, develop language. The first one is exposed exclusively to English and receives lots of language input from his parents and nanny. Book reading is a daily activity. He is fairly advanced, speaking in two- and three-word sentences. Although articulation is inexact, his parents understand his speech such as, “All better,” “No more yo-yo” (yogurt) and “Mommy go bye-bye.”   

The second child spends 8 hours per day with a bilingual nanny. The parents have emphasized the importance of bilingualism and the nanny speaks Spanish most of the time. The parents speak about 90% English and 10% Spanish to the baby. Books are read daily, some in English and some in Spanish. At one year of age, he only grunted to communicate although he understood most everything in English such as, “Bring me the ball” and “Give me your hand.” Shortly thereafter he said, “Agua” (water) as his first word and now has about 10 spoken words in Spanish. His Spanish comprehension is better than English comprehension. For example, when asked, “¿Cuantos años tienes?” he holds up one finger, and he points to objects, body parts, and so forth when asked to do so in Spanish but much less so in English. With English-speakers, he is eager to communicate and is intentional in his speech, pointing to something and saying, “ne” or “ne-ne.”  At this point he doesn’t say any discernable English words as he does Spanish words. 

If language development continues in this way, when the two boys begin kindergarten the first child will be very well-equipped to meet the language demands of school. He will have an extensive English vocabulary and be familiar with reading text. The second child undoubtedly has a similar level of language development as the first, however his level of language proficiency may be more opaque. While both children have had similar exposure to text, vocabulary, and the world around them, the bilingual child may not be able to fully express his knowledge and understanding in English when he gets to school. He would benefit from translanguaging rather than being limited to using English alone since he will be processing information in both languages. 

A classroom example of translanguaging is when the teacher reads a story aloud in English, pauses at various points in the text, and gives students and opportunity to talk together about a character, event, make a prediction, etc. When the students “turn and talk,” they are invited to share their thoughts in their home language or English, or a mix of both, with their paired partner. Sometimes certain words or expressions in one language convey a precise meaning better than another, or the context may dictate a preference. For instance, if the book read aloud is about soccer, when a multilingual learner turns to their partner to discuss a portion of text, they may begin speaking in English but switch to Spanish for a description of the way a goal was scored. The student is using the full complement of their linguistic repertoire in the discussion. 

It is a misconception to think that combining languages indicates confusion. 

Translanguaging is about communication, not about language learning. Teachers should not discourage the practice of translanguaging or prohibit use of students’ first language at school or at home. There are times when tasks require the use of English, such as making oral presentations to the class, assignments designed to focus on accuracy in English or to practice using academic English. Use of translanguaging doesn’t minimize the importance of becoming proficient speakers of English. Much of the time, though, teachers are working with students to explore concepts, add to their knowledge, and make connections between ideas. This is often about communicating, and this is where using all language resources can be beneficial.

Translanguaging is more than a good idea. It is the way multilingual individuals process language. Used strategically, translanguaging will not interfere with students’ ability to become confident and proficient speakers of English. The advantages of being bilingual are undisputed therefore developing multiple languages ought to be encouraged.