How can teachers maximize engagement among multilingual students? What are some effective ways to integrate multilingual instructional strategies into classrooms?
According to the article “Researchers have discovered that by 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, rather than feeling limited by their current abilities in the school language” (Cummins, 2019). This quote signifies the importance of teachers maximizing engagement among multilingual students. Some effective strategies listed in the article include:
- Each day, teachers invite one or two students to share a word from their home languages with their classmates and explain why they chose that word and what it means. Over time, students and teachers learn a new collection of words in different languages (Cummins, 2019).
- Examples of students’ work in their home languages and in the school language are prominently displayed in school corridors and at the school entrance. This reinforces the message that students’ diverse languages are both personal and educational assets (Cummins, 2019).
- School library collections have multilingual books for both students and parents to read at school and at home. School policies can ensure that libraries maintain a diverse and well-stocked selection (Cummins, 2019).
- Students write and publish online dual language or multilingual stories or projects (Cummins, 2019).
- Teachers invite parents and community members to the classroom to read and tell stories in community languages (Cummins. 2019).
- Across subject areas, teachers encourage students to conduct research online in their home languages for class projects (Cummins, 2019).
- Students collaborate with partner classes across the world or across the city to create a variety of projects involving two or more languages (Cummins, 2019).
As Canada is presently as well as becoming more diverse, teachers must learn how to support our students success through various strategies in our classrooms. By incorporating and implementing these strategies in our classrooms and pedagogies, we can foster a nurturing and safe environment for all of our students, regardless of what language they speak.
Cummins, by: D. J., by: Dr. Shelly Russell-Mayhew, K. M., by: Miriam Miller, D. D. B., & Hagerman, by: D. M. S. (2019, February 26). How can teachers maximize engagement among multilingual students? EdCan Network. Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://www.edcan.ca/articles/multilingual-students/