Multilingual Learners are Assets to any Classroom!

Multilingual Learners are Assets to any Classroom!

     As a teacher I am all about being as inclusive to all my students as humanly possible.  In terms of multilingual learners and multilingual ideologies, the classroom is not an idea that is new to me.  Multilingualism to some teachers is a brand new concept and a struggle to include into the classroom as well. In other words, my intentions for this blog posts are to help educate those teachers who need ideas, strategies, policies and activities that can be integrated into the classroom for the well-being and inclusion of all students!  

     Simplest of ways to make all people comfortable is the use of posters which exude inclusion! Such as posters that say “we are all human” or “language makes our world spring round and round.’  Or even language posters with multi language phrases such as ‘hi’ in cree, dene, italian, gree, arabic and so many other languages.  Posters can have such a personal impact on the students in your classroom walls.  They can make students feel happy, understood and on top of all that included.  

     Another easy way to integrate multiple languages is the use of books.  Inclusive books for multilingual learners are as easy as incorporating books that have different language translations on the pages.  These books provide such comfort to those students who are learning to understand the language of English, but are still able to understand a book because the story included someone’s native language.  

     A personal idea you can do for students is understanding that individualized programs are great opportunities to understand each student in personal ways.  In other words, teachers understand that all students learn, understand and comprehend topics in different ways.  No one teacher should be restricted to learning and gaining knowledge in one way.  Individualized language programs truly do make student’s learning feel more connected and personal to the student.  Which often helps the student create personal goals to grow and understand better! 

     A big idea when including multilingual learners is understanding the importance of including a variety of factors into book selection.  Meaning we as teachers need to consider how ‘readable’ a text is for all students.  Questions such as ‘is the material interesting to the student?’ Other questions such as ‘does the student have the background knowledge or experience that is assumed by the writer?’ Lastly, this question also has value and importance such as ‘does the student know at least 95% of the words?’  As teachers we need to understand that multilingual learners have a place in the classroom and will come to understand the language of english.  We rather need to take the time to better suit their needs in an all inclusive way.  

     Multilingual is the word of INCLUSION of all PEOPLE and all LANGUAGE!  Multilingualism is a VALUE that all schools and classrooms should BELIEVE and have PRIDE in!  Multilingual learners truly are STRONG and CAPABLE worth CHERISHING and EMBRACING!  Multilingual learners are an ASSET!