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Using Inquiry-Based Learning with Multilingual Learners

The popularity of inquiry–based learning, an approach that emphasizes the student’s role in the learning process, has steadily increased. Traditionally used in science education, inquiry has expanded to other content areas. Students learn by doing which allows them to build knowledge through discovery, experience, and discussion. The process typically involves students formulating a question about a topic that piques interest, collecting data, analyzing the data, and drawing conclusions. Students individually or collaboratively write a report about the findings and present those findings to peers. Inquiry is most effective when it becomes part of the classroom culture, where students routinely think deeply, ask questions, share opinions, and research topics.

In many cases inquiry lessons, or lessons with an inquiry activity, reduce the language demands on multilingual learners by providing opportunities for exploration with visuals, hands-on materials and peer discussion. By allowing multilingual learners to tap their curiosity, follow their instincts, and learn through discovery, they grow and develop as independent learners. Multilingual learners’ participation in the reading and writing aspects of the lesson is scaffolded by working with a more proficient English-speaking partner or small group.

For readers familiar with the SIOP Model for teaching multilingual learners, you undoubtedly recognize many shared characteristics between SIOP and inquiry-based learning. In classes with multilingual learners, teachers using an inquiry approach need to be mindful of several linguistic considerations and instructional supports for these students.

Content and Language Objectives

Research shows that establishing clear learning objectives that are relevant and understandable can lead to improved student motivation and higher academic achievement. Having both content and language objectives for every lesson is a hallmark of SIOP. Both are critical for ensuring that the lesson’s purpose is visible for students. Multilingual learners are learning new content and a new language simultaneously so sharing what will be learned is particularly important for these students.

Teachers sometimes misinterpret objectives as being incompatible with an inquiry approach when in fact all lessons, inquiry or not, have expected outcomes for students. We have seen in science, for example, that some teachers say providing the objectives at the start of the lesson gives away the inquiry process. We have worked with those teachers in two ways:

  • Presenting objectives after an introductory exploratory activity. The exploration aspect is preserved yet the purpose of the lesson and learning outcomes are clarified for students.
  • Changing the way they design the objectives. For example, the content objective, Students will investigate what factors contribute to water pollution,is better with an inquiry lesson than, Students will investigate the effect of pesticides and trash on water pollution. A language objective such as, Students will fill out an observation report using complete sentences, doesn’t reveal what students will discover. However, Students will describe, using complete sentences, the effects of pesticides and trash on water pollution, gives too much detail

Content objectives are based on content standards and are typically tied to curriculum or pacing guides. Teachers have more latitude with writing language objectives and can connect language learning specifically to each lesson which doesn’t adversely affect the inquiry process.

Students’ Language Development

Sufficient language supports are critical so that multilingual learners aren’t at a disadvantage due to their limited English proficiency. There are many ways to provide language supports with inquiry-based learning that teacher should implement in every lesson.

  1. Focus on key vocabulary. At a minimum, multilingual learners need to understand the essential vocabulary and procedures they need to participate productively in lessons. From the sample objectives above, words such as investigate, factors, influence, pesticides and trash would need to be explicitly taught or reviewed and an observation report form would be shown so multilingual learners clearly understand what they’ll be doing. During the lesson, multilingual students likely will become frustrated if they don’t understand the key terms their peers are using when talking about the activity. Previewing key vocabulary and posting it for reference increases multilingual learners’ full participation.
  2. Increase word consciousness. With guidance, students can discover how words work and how they can make sense of unknown words. For example, there is exponential power in identifying roots and affixes (prefixes and suffixes) to derive word meaning. Also, students might explore resources for defining words and their meaning.
  3. Use vocabulary in context. After the inquiry portion of the lesson, additional vocabulary terms that students need to learn are highlighted or explicitly taught (if needed), discussed, and identified in the product created during group work. This kind of reinforcement of vocabulary in context makes the words more relevant and meaningful for students — and more likely to be retained.
  4. Accept translanguaging for student-to-student communication. Multilingual students use all their linguistic resources to make sense of the lesson. That is, they clarify and discuss concepts their home language during the lesson, as well as English, as needed.
  5. Provide language frames so students can talk about what they’re discovering.To advance students’ English proficiency, be sure to connect the language frames to a language target such as language functions, e.g., compare, predict, explain, or formulate questions. For example, When I observe _____________ I notice ___________. My prediction is that _________________.
  6. Language skills are needed by all students. Many of the skills needed for inquiry lessons can be taught to multilingual learners and other students who need instruction in, for instance, how to read research and take notes, how to write up observations and cite evidence, how to write a summary, and so on.

Questioning

An important aspect of inquiry-based learning is teaching students how to ask the kind of questions that elicit higher levels of thinking such as analysis or evaluation. Teachers need to think about the kinds of questions that get students to think more deeply about a topic, and then model those questions. Otherwise, students likely will rely on lower-level questions during exploration that can be answered with a Google search. One of SIOP’s Features (#15) is to, Use a variety of questions or tasks that promote higher-order thinking skills. Provoking complex thinking is an explicit goal in both inquiry-based learning and SIOP lessons.

Student Agency

Inquiry learning is characterized by a classroom environment that allows students to learn through exploration and discovery. It is student-centered and encourages independent learning. Self-directed learning allows students to make choices and builds self-confidence in themselves as learners. SIOP teaching also recognizes each student’s background, culture, language and interests and considers each one an asset that can be connected to learning.  Here are several ways that both inquiry and SIOP build student agency:

  1. Build background.Teachers can make lessons relevant by connecting, for example, historical documents to students’ lives. Asking students to think about how the Bill of Rights might be different if it were written by people of color allows them to think deeply about the issues from their own perspective. Student-driven inquiry connects students’ interests and curiosity to the lesson by encouraging them to ask their own questions and seek answers. SIOP’s Feature #8 asks teachers to link students’ background experiences to the lesson’s concepts. Teachers encourage students to use what they know and use their lived experiences to make sense of information, guiding them to see the connection between the two.
  2. Develop expertise. A goal in many inquiry lessons is for each student to become an expert in an aspect of the content being studied. As students present the results of their inquiry, their understanding of the content is deepened and their knowledge is expanded by the presentations of others. SIOP’s Practice & Application component encourages hands-on experiences, grappling with content, and applying it in meaningful ways including presenting their findings to peers. There are many SIOP activities that encourage students to become experts on a topic.
  3. Provide meaningful activities. Inquiry lessons need to resonate with students to be effective. A topic or question is unlikely to spark curiosity or enthusiasm if it isn’t of interest to students or if the activities aren’t motivating. SIOP’s Feature #6 suggests that lessons include meaningful activities that integrate the lesson’s concepts with opportunities to practice and develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. In this way, multilingual learners gain proficiency in English while participating in interesting, relevant learning.

Reviewing the Process

An important aspect of being a good researcher is to reflect on your outcomes. Ask students to reflect on both what they learned and how they learned it. SIOP’s Strategies component promotes the use of learning strategies such as metacognition or thinking about thinking. Similarly, students should reflect on what worked and what they might have done differently. Here is an opportunity to bring in the lesson’s content and language objectives. Students can assess whether the outcomes gained from their experiences met the objectives, citing evidence like good researchers do.

The alignment of SIOP with inquiry-based learning is clear. A proponent of inquiry-based learning said, “When teachers design inquiry-based learning activities, they should integrate them with the curriculum, relate them to students’ past experiences and promote them with lifelong learning and critical thinking skills”

That’s a description completely compatible with SIOP.

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3 Research Findings Every Educator Should Know

It seems like everywhere you look there are more books, articles, and blogs written about what works with multilingual learners (MLLs), but these resources don’t always reflect research-validated approaches and interventions. Empirical studies provide guidance for achieving desired outcomes that go beyond what intuitively seems like a good idea for teaching students in this population. The following areas of research are of particular importance in informing practice, especially for MLL students. 

1. Academic language. Cummins (1979) introduced the distinction between conversational language and academic language, and others more recently have discussed specific ways that academic language is challenging (Scheppegrell, 2020), particularly for multilingual learners. Academic language is more formal and abstract than conversational language and uses complex sentence structure (e.g., embedded clauses and conjunctions), highly sophisticated, abstract vocabulary (e.g., representational democracy in social studies), and rhetorical forms (e.g., figurative language), and it is encountered almost exclusively in school. 

Research has identified the critical relationship of academic language to reading comprehension, a cognitive and linguistic process needed to acquire and use knowledge in every academic content area. As MLL students become more proficient in English, they become more efficient readers and more similar to their English-speaking peers in their reading ability. Conversely, if EL students don’t become sufficiently proficient in English, they expend more cognitive effort, and their reading remains inefficient which negatively affects achievement and motivation. 

The importance of advancing academic language development is clear. Findings verify that MLLs don’t “pick up” academic language nor will the achievement gap close without explicit instruction in English language development (ELD). A separate ELD time each day focusing on English language instruction is critical but may not be sufficient for expediting English language growth. In every content lesson, teaching key content vocabulary and exploiting teachable academic language-learning opportunities likely will enhance English proficiency. 

2. Student assets. The idea that students come to school as empty vessels in need of filling has been dispelled. Indeed, students begin school with a minimum of 5 years of lived experiences, accumulated knowledge and language development in their home language (L1), and these continue to grow with each subsequent year. This treasure trove should be acknowledged and built upon as students learn academic content in school. 

For multilingual learners, some lived experiences are culturally influenced, such as attending quinceañeras or receiving red envelopes as gifts, and others are common to their age group such as popular social media sites, video games, and sports. Linguistic knowledge in their L1 can be used to bootstrap learning in English. Studies suggest that instructional routines that draw on students’ L1, their knowledge and cultural assets support literacy development in English. Some examples of practices used in studies include previewing and reviewing materials in children’s L1, providing opportunities for students to engage in conversations around text with peers using their L1 when needed, giving definitions for key vocabulary terms in both English and their L1, and introducing key concepts by connecting them to students’ knowledge or experience in the home and community. Teachers who don’t speak the language of their students shouldn’t be apprehensive about using these types of practices. Many technologies assist in translating words and definitions, and peers can be used as supports by grouping students with a common L1 together for discussions, then asking each group to summarize their discussion in English. Further, as teachers practice a dynamic interaction style with students, they will learn about students’ lived experiences which, in turn, can be used to connect lesson content to what students know and have experienced. 

Capitalizing on students’ linguistic and experiential assets by linking them to content, materials, and activities have motivational and engagement benefits, and contributes to MLL students’ sense of belonging and well-being.

3. Reading foundations.  Much has been written recently about the science of reading,

a discussion that spans decades. However, little research specifically addresses multilingual learners and how teaching reading may or may not differ for this population. Goldenberg (2020) conducted a review of research on reading and multilingual learners. He summarizes the findings and draws several conclusions. First, learning to read is similar for multilingual learners and English-speaking students. MLL students must learn the same foundational skills as English-proficient students. As Goldenberg says, “Full-fledged literacy certainly requires more, but there is a reason this group of skills is called foundational: It is required for the literacy edifice under construction. As with any building, if all you have is a foundation, you do not have much. Yet, a solid foundation is still essential” (p.133)

Secondly, along with foundational skills, additional supports are required for MLL students so that instruction in English is made comprehensible to them. They need additional instruction in the vocabulary found in text, especially for beginning speakers who are learning to recognize new words as they are read. Also beneficial is additional repetition and rehearsal as well as opportunities to practice. Specifically, beginning readers need practice in developing oral language, primarily in the form of effective ELD instruction to boost English proficiency.

Lastly, as MLL students advance through the grades, the academic language required to navigate grade-level texts and the disciplinary knowledge students need to comprehend texts becomes increasingly complex and demanding. Oral English language instruction and support needs to match the level of challenge for these students, particularly in language-intensive subjects. 

Future research

Developing English proficiency arguably has the greatest impact on success in school. Understanding and responding to the specific ways that academic language is most efficiently developed might offer ways for teaching ELD most effectively and result in accelerated English acquisition. Current studies show the importance of oral language for MLLs to improve early literacy, but which components of the interventions were most impactful remains unknown. 

Secondly, the effects of different instructional arrangements on multilingual students’ achievement should be explored. Debate continues around issues such as whether pull-out or push-in services are more effective, the optimal amount of time devoted to ELD instruction, and whether to group MLLs together or with English-speaking peers. These are areas of practice that warrant investigation.

(A version of this post appeared in Larry Ferlazzo’s Education Week blog)

Jana Echevarria, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita at CSULB where she was selected as Outstanding Professor. She is co-developer of the SIOP Model of instruction for English learners and co-author of Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model and 99 Ideas and Activities for Teaching English Learners among other publications. 

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4 Ways of Integrating SEL with Effective Instruction for Multilingual Learners

While there are a variety of definitions for social-emotional learning (SEL), essentially SEL is the process of learning and applying skills for recognizing and managing emotions, for developing and maintaining positive relationships, learning to set and achieve goals, making responsible decisions, and accepting responsibility for behavioral outcomes – the competencies individuals need to be successful in life. Addressing the social-emotional needs of students has never been more critical, particularly for multilingual learners who have been disproportionately affected by lost instructional time during the pandemic.

In a survey by Education Week, more than 50% of teachers surveyed cited SEL needs as a challenge to grade-level performance. Sometimes educators mistakenly believe that focusing on SEL competencies adds “one more thing” to their already overburdened schedules. However, SEL skills arguably are more effectively developed during content teaching. A recent report suggests specific practices that integrate social and emotional learning with academic learning rather than treating academic content and SEL as separate subject areas. These practices align with our work that makes content comprehensible for multilingual learners while simultaneously fostering language development. Rigorous academic lessons planned through an SEL lens provide opportunities to enhance students’ social and emotional wellbeing while simultaneously advancing learning.

I suppose it goes without saying that SEL first requires teachers to get to know their students. Learning is enhanced in a classroom environment where students’ linguistic and cultural assets are valued, one that provides a safe community of learning, and encourages students to interact together and build relationships. Further, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. When an appropriate learning environment is established, the following specific instructional recommendation may be implemented.

  1. Plan intentionally. Incorporating SEL into lessons takes some thought but it is worth the effort since well-planned, focused teaching is effective in promoting learning. First, design and display both content objectives and language objectives for lessons so that learning is transparent and students buy-in to the lesson’s purpose. For example, a language objective may be to practice asking clarifying questions, a skill that helps students take ownership of their learning. The objective is reviewed with students and the importance of asking for clarification inside and outside of school is discussed. Working in pairs, students read their partner’s essay about a significant day in their lives. Partner A ask questions of the author (Partner B) to clarify parts that are unclear or seem to have missing information. This process allows the writer to take ownership of their work and accepting their partner’s feedback offers an opportunity to manage their emotions. Then Partner B listens to Partner A’s essay and provides feedback. The process ensures that their essays are focused and coherent, while at the same time provides practice with collaboration and getting clarification. Setting grade-level objectives, with appropriate scaffolding for success, communicates high expectations to students and engages them in rigorous curriculum. It’s useful to point out to students that setting objectives for a lesson is similar to setting goals for themselves, i.e., what they intend to accomplish in a day, a week, and so forth. 
  2. Structure productive group work. The process of working together productively with peers contributes to a caring community of learning. By interacting and working together, mutual respect among students from different cultures and ethnicities develops. Interaction fosters many important SEL competencies such as establishing and maintaining relationships, improving social interaction skills, finding one’s own voice, and respecting others’ perspectives. Sometimes language frames are provided to assist such as, I understand her point but__________ or I respectfully disagree with _________ because __________. Having students talk in pairs or in small groups minimizes the risk that many students feel in whole group discussions and allows ideas to flow more easily. Structured opportunities for discussion also provide important language practice for multilingual learners. Further, during group discussions teachers can circulate and listen in which allows them to get to know their students better – their ideas, perspectives, personal and cultural assets and lived experiences. Positive interactions between teachers and students foster a supportive environment. Studies have shown improvements on practically every measure schools care about: higher student academic engagement, attendance, grades, fewer disruptive behaviors and suspensions, and lower school dropout rates. Feeling connected to school results in positive outcomes. 
  3. Create conditions for success. Strong academic skills and content knowledge empower individuals to be more self-assured, to advocate for themselves and others, and to pursue their dreams. Research confirms that well-planned, focused teaching is effective in promoting learning. With multilingual learners, teachers adjust instruction based on language proficiency and educational experience so that each student is successful. All students learn the same grade-level content, but through differentiated texts and tasks. That is, students receive the scaffolds they need to be successful in completing work. Although multilingual learners may not be fully proficient in English, they can still think critically and respond to higher-order questions, such as evaluating and making judgements, comparing/contrasting, and categorizing. Group work is particularly effective when the teacher poses a question or topic for discussion that requires higher-order thinking. Asking simple recall questions conveys low expectations for multilingual students and isn’t intellectually stimulating. Further, there is an emphasis on self-reflection and self-assessment using rubrics, providing opportunities to revise and improve upon their work (see example above), and considering how their learning matched up to the lesson’s content and language objectives. Through the introduction of content and language objectives at the beginning of lessons and reflecting on them at the end, students become aware of their daily, incremental learning — both content and language development – which results in gains over time. 
  4. Provide a balance of explicit instruction and practice. Teachers balance direct teaching with opportunities for students to practice new learning, thus deepening their understanding. When students learn the material through clear, explicit instruction, they are better equipped to practice using the language and content independently, with partners or in small groups. Practice and application activities often provide choice in activities that reflect students’ own identities. For example, they may create a presentation, design a game, dramatize the topic, write and perform a song, or generate solutions to real-life problems that represent diverse perspectives. Students have an opportunity to express their knowledge and understanding in a way that is of interest to them. 

The following lesson plan template offers questions to consider in lesson planning, delivery, and reflection. The SIOP Model’s lesson plan ensures that the linguistic and academic needs of multilingual learners are addressed in every lesson. The example here highlights SEL competencies. Other templates can be found here.

SIOP Lesson Plan Template

CONTENT STANDARD: State or District Standard

LESSON TOPIC: Any content area topic including English language development.

OBJECTIVES:

Content – What will students learn or be able to do related to the topic?

Language – What language will students need to advance their English proficiency? Which language forms and/or functions will students encounter in the lessons?

LEARNING STRATEGIES: What higher order questions will you plan to have students ponder? How will you communicate high expectations for your students?

KEY VOCABULARY:  Which terms need to be explicitly taught and practiced so that students can participate successfully in the lesson and complete academic tasks?

MATERIALS: Are the materials culturally relevant to students?

MOTIVATION:

(Building Background)

How will you connect the lesson to students’ lived experiences and background knowledge? What funds of knowledge might be tapped?

PRESENTATION:

(Content and language objectives, comprehensible input, modeling, interaction, feedback)

What aspects of the lesson require explicit instruction for student learning, and which allow for student inquiry, creativity, exploration? 

How will students be grouped for discussion and/or practice?

How will you ensure high levels of student engagement?

PRACTICE & APPLICATION:

(Meaningful activities, interaction, feedback)

What opportunities will students have to practice and apply content information? Which choice of learning experiences will students be offered?

REVIEW & ASSESSMENT:

(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)

Will students conduct self-assessments or self-reflection?

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Supporting Multilingual Learners Through MTSS

When students struggle academically, schools often employ a multitiered system of support (MTSS), sometimes called RTI (Response to Intervention), to provide assistance to students who are underperforming. The vast majority of academic difficulties involve literacy, and many reading difficulties can be improved when they are identified early and when appropriate support is provided to the student. Difficulties in math can also be addressed through MTSS. 

The MTSS process includes effective instruction in general education (typically called Tier 1), followed by targeted interventions as needed (Tier 2), and, when appropriate, more intensive support through special education services (Tier 3). It’s important to mention that there isn’t a prescribed number of tiers or levels of support. For example, Tier 3 may involve more intensive interventions with special education being Tier 4. The point is to provide the level and intensity of supports students need to be successful. A benefit of MTSS is that it provides educators with a system for helping struggling learners in general education instead of considering referral to special education as the first or only option. 

For multilingual learners, an effective MTSS process takes into account cultural and linguistic considerations as educators search for solutions to the problems these students experience. To illustrate, a hypothetical multilingual learner will move through his school’s MTSS process. 

1. Effective instruction in general education. Enrique is a third grader whose teacher is knowledgeable about and experienced in effective teaching for multilingual learners. Mrs. Nash consistently provides scaffolds for her students such as features of SIOP teaching. She collaborates with the ESL teacher who spends 30 minutes each day working with Enrique in a small group on listening and speaking skills to improve their English proficiency. Typically, they discuss the story being read in class, highlighting key vocabulary terms necessary for understanding the story, explicitly teaching sentence structure by analyzing sentences in the story, making connections between the story and the students’ own experiences, and eliciting language from the students. Lots of opportunities to practice using English are provided for the students. However, over time Enrique remains significantly behind grade level and Mrs. Nash  turns to colleagues for assistance. 

2. Getting support from a grade-level team or professional learning community (PLC). This step in the process is used with multilingual learners since any number of variables may contribute to multilingual learners’ underperformance such ineffective teaching, absenteeism or transiency, inadequate English language development (ELD) or ESL teaching, or the simple fact that these students are learning new information and skills in a new language. This step typically is informal, involving discussion and collaboration amongst colleagues. However, it is important since multilingual learners in many schools are routinely thought to be in need of Tier 2 reading interventions when, in fact, they may need more explicit English language instruction with opportunities to practice using the language. 

The team, which includes at least one member with expertise in second language acquisition, examines classroom instructional practices to make sure Enrique is receiving the language support he needs. The team suggests that Mrs. Nash do a preview/review with each story being read. For example, she might use a graphic organizer to outline the way the story unfolds so Enrique has a general understand of what the story is about, translating terms as needed and pointing out cognates. After reading the story in class, Mrs. Nash works with Enrique to summarize the story, asking him to retell the story using clues from the graphic organizer and listed vocabulary words. A plan for monitoring the effect of this plan is also developed by the team. 

3. Evaluate the team plan. The grade-level or PLC team looked at the progress monitoring data gathered by Mrs. Nash to assess next steps. Their plan had taken into consideration Enrique’s language and cultural background by suggesting that Mrs. Nash add practices such as translating words as needed, making connections between Spanish and English by pointing out cognates, and linking elements of stories to Enrique’s own experiences to make stories more meaningful and relevant to him. Enrique didn’t respond positively to his teacher’s additional efforts, so the team decided to seek assistance from the Tier 2 Intervention team. 

4. Tier 2 Interventions. The intervention team examined data provided by Mrs. Nash about how Enrique performed in class and found that Enrique can haltingly decode words but doesn’t comprehend their meaning. The intervention team recommended a focus on intensive word recognition and comprehension strategies. Enrique’s progress was monitored every 4 weeks to gauge learning. 

5. Assess progress. The team found that Enrique made slight progress but did not sufficiently respond to the interventions after eight weeks. The team moved to the next step, changing the interventions.

6. Modify interventions. The team decided to modify the interventions, continue for 8 more weeks, and monitor progress every two weeks.

7. Assess progress. At the end of the second cycle of interventions, Enrique had not made the amount of progress that would have been expected. A referral for evaluation for special education services was initiated. Parent notification was sent to his family in Spanish, and they agreed to an evaluation for special education services. 

8. Evaluate for special education services. Enrique took part in a battery of assessments. The Speech/Language Pathologist conducted an evaluation in Spanish and English to establish his level of proficiency in each language. Enrique demonstrated auditory processing difficulties in both languages. The results of the assessments determined that Enrique has a disability that qualified him to receive special education services.

9. Develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The IEP team met, including Enrique’s parents and an interpreter, and an instructional program was agreed upon. The various IEP goals included one for accelerating oral language proficiency in English. In addition, it was noted that he would continue daily English language development with the ESL teacher.  Further, Enrique qualified for speech/language services.

10. Receive services in Tier 3: Special education. Enrique received high-quality instruction as he worked on his specific IEP goals. SIOP lesson planning ensured that instruction was comprehensible and meaningful for him and provided opportunities to practice and apply new knowledge, skills, and vocabulary. He also benefitted from speech therapy and daily ELD class. 

Note that this scenario is only one of many ways to characterize MTSS but there are some aspects that are essential for multilingual learners. Literacy and language are inextricably connected, however multilingual learners need oral language development before they can be expected to make the same progress as their English-speaking peers in reading. Tier 2 interventions are designed for remediating specific foundational reading skills, e.g., phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary, not necessarily developing English oral language. Many multilingual learners may get on track with support from the teacher and grade-level team without needing Tier 2 interventions. Few students would likely go through the entire process as Enrique did since most reading difficulties can be remedied during interventions. 

Post based on our forthcoming book, Making Content Comprehensible for Multilingual Learners: The SIOP Model, Sixth Edition.

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How Does the Science of Reading Apply to Teaching Multilingual Learners?

Discussions abound in the media, in education journals, and online about the science of reading. While there isn’t agreement on exactly how it is defined, the science of reading generally refers to the body of research evidence about how individuals learn to read. Within that body of studies, there’s a paucity of research that specifically addresses reading and multilingual learners. Many empirical questions remain unanswered, however there are findings that provide guidance in teaching multilingual learners including the following:

  1. Multilingual learners learn in many of the same ways as English speakers do. They need the same foundational skills that all readers need. However, learning in a new language is different. Some say, “Anything that benefits multilingual learners benefits all learners” but we need to be careful. While technically true, it’s more accurate to say that teaching approaches that benefit multilingual learners don’t disadvantage other students. In other words, it can’t be assumed that because multilingual students need foundational literacy skills that they’ll learn just like their English-speaking peers. While the skills are the same and transfer across languages, learning how to read in a language you’re still acquiring is distinctly different from learning in your home language, a language whose syntax, everyday vocabulary, and usage is familiar. Oral language proficiency (the ability to speak and understand the language) is the foundation on which academic language is built. Academic language found in texts – subject-specific vocabulary, complex syntax, rhetorical conventions — is particularly challenging for multilingual learners who have yet to master oral language proficiency.
  2. Development of oral language is critical for reading and for overall school success. Since multilingual learners are not yet proficient in English, teachers should focus on accelerating language proficiency during content teaching (and during ELD, #3 below). Specific oral language skills are fostered through explicit instruction and structured practice. That is, teachers focus on an aspect of language such as a grammatical form or use of a vocabulary term, teach it explicitly, and plan time for students to practice using the new language. Language objectives help teachers identify the language needed in lessons such as making comparisons or using descriptive language. Opportunities to practice oral language skills need to be planned, intentional, and purposeful, not haphazard. These opportunities may be a) relatively brief, b) more extended, or c) the objective of the lesson.
    • a) Think-Pair-Share and Turn and Talk. Typically, teachers ask students to briefly engage about a question or topic. To be most productive, these interactions have an academic purpose such as having students turn to a partner and summarize information, preview a chapter and make predictions, ask students what they know about a topic, discuss experiences they have had related to the topic, and so forth. These interactions provide both oral language practice and an academic benefit for students. 
    • b) In-depth discussions. Working in partners or productive groups, students engage in authentic discussion about topics and grapple with ideas, practice defending their positions, learn to build on one another’s contributions, and so forth. A lot of language can surface in discussions around interesting books or through students’ own connection to a character in the book, e.g., Would you feel the same way? Or How would you react in that situation? Language is internalized and becomes part of students’ linguistic repertoire when there are multiple exposures to targeted words in meaningful contexts such as extended discussions.
    • c) English language development (ELD). Also called ESL, ELD is a specific time in the school day designed to advance students’ knowledge and use of English, especially listening and speaking skills. The primary objective is to learn about how English works and how to become a more proficient user of the language. Too often ELD teaching is unstructured and while there are opportunities for speaking and listening, it’s not always productive talk that is moving learning forward. When lessons are well planned, students practice using words and other aspects of language to create meaningful sentences or phrases. During ELD, students do a lot of talking, experimenting with the language and becoming more comfortable using words and phrases that initially might be unfamiliar or abstract. 

Multilingual learners will likely benefit from classroom settings where oral language use is emphasized, and student-to-student interaction is promoted. 

3. Adjustments to instruction are necessary when multilingual learners are learning and practicing literacy skills. Some adjustments differ in degree rather than in kind. For example, repetition is an effective way to remember information such as the definition of words, but multilingual learners require more repetition and exposure since the language is new to them. Apps such as Anki provide fun ways for multilingual learners to interact with new words. In addition, these students need multiple opportunities to practice and apply the language and literacy skills they’re acquiring. 

Tapping students’ background knowledge promotes comprehension for all students. With multilingual learners, teachers use students’ background knowledge, their lived experiences, and their home language to connect to lessons, making learning more meaningful and relevant. Using background to make connections to text is essential for these students.

Further, there are other techniques and strategies teachers can use to make text accessible to multilingual learners such as using visuals and multimedia. Our work has focused on providing teachers with a framework for lesson planning and delivery so that they include features known to help multilingual learners access text, understand the teacher’s instruction and the lesson’s content, all the while infusing language development into lessons. In this way, teachers make the adjustments to literacy instruction that benefit multilingual learners. 

This blog is based on an interview, How to Teach English Learners Based on the Science of Reading.