Being a person who moved to a country that speaks a different language then what was spoken back home is definitely a very hard and degrading experience, however I was fortunate enough to already know English fairly well because of the fact that I grew up speaking it with my grandparents. but not many are fortunate as I am, and they end up feeling that they need to completely forget about their languages because it is not what is spoken here. However the fact that multilingualism is being encouraged and children are being encouraged to hold on to their languages and learn the predominant language is beautiful to see. like it was stated “encouraging multilingual students to use their home languages alongside the language of the classroom, they come to view themselves as talented and accomplished speakers of multiple languages who are more likely to engage academically” (Cummins 2019). Just because one moved to a country that speaks a different language it dose not mean that that their languages are inferior, but it gives them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and develop a new language while still holding on to the language they have known prior.
Thing as simple as allowing children to speak their language in the classroom, having books and stories that include those languages and different languages, allowing the children to teach their classmates simple words such as “good morning” in their language, allowing children to write assessments in both the language they are learning and their language, and much more will help children be more confidant in who they are and the languages they speak. There is a great beauty and knowledge in having the ability to speak multiple languages, and as educators we need to start helping students embrace and be proud of their multilingualism.