Multilingual Classrooms
As a teacher, the goal is to help their students and assist them the best they can. One way teachers can succeed in doing this is by maximizing engagement among all students. Teachers learning effective ways to integrate multilingual instructional strategies in a classroom setting is important so all students have the ability and tools to thrive. “The term “multilingual” is increasingly used by educators to describe students from immigrant backgrounds who are in the process of learning the language of instruction at school” (Cummins, 2019). By encouraging students to use their home language in the classroom, they start to view themselves as special and talented speakers and begin to feel more confident to engage in discussion. My experience at Luther has made me observe the students and their strengths and weaknesses. Oftentimes, if a student feels insecure with their English they will avoid making conversation to steer away from feeling like a failure or embarrassed if they do not say the right thing back. “In recent years, Canadian teachers have been exploring a wide variety of inclusive learning strategies and programs that leverage students’ multiple languages as enrichment opportunities for all students” (Cummins, 2019).
By inviting one or two students to share a word from their home languages with their classmates it allows the students and the teacher to learn a collection of new words in different languages and begin to have appreciation for other languages. Having a diverse selection of books in the classroom is a good step including multilingual teaching. Connecting students’ lives with instruction, builds their background knowledge and maximizes their awareness on different cultures.
Our names play a very important role in our identity, and learning our students names correctly is crucial. It not only makes you aware of who your educators are but it is a sign of respect to the students. The aim is to create cultural awareness and appreciating their backgrounds. Normalizing diversity in the classroom is important so the students’ feel like they belong. When we create an environment of cultural pride, the students’ self-esteem increases, which can lead to higher academic achievement. Lack of support for students’ languages can have negative effects on their self-esteem. “Their self-esteem may also be threatened if the second language appears to be more valued by the wider community than the first language. Students who feel marginalized in the wider society may reject opportunities for linguistic and social integration and bond exclusively with members of their own cultural and linguistic group” (Coelho, 2012). Educators can work with parents to create signs to display in the classroom to support cultural pride. I have noticed at Luther high school that they have displayed many posters and signs around the dorm and school to make the international students feel welcomed.
References
Coelho, E. (2012). Language and learning in multilingual classrooms: A practical approach (No. 16). Chapters 6&7. Multilingual Matters.
Cummins, Jim. (2019). How Can Teachers Maximize Engagement among Multilingual Students. EdCanNetwork. Retrieved from: