How content teachers can help multilingual learners thrive

By Hannah Haynes

Across the country, especially in rural settings, many classroom teachers are working with multilingual learners without consistent access to an English language (EL) specialist. While this can feel daunting, there are ways for educators to make meaningful changes and support multilingual learners right away. Drawing on insights from WIDA Fellows and findings from Project RESPECT, this article provides practical, evidence-based ways for content teachers to dive into this work.

Build your foundation

There’s a lot you can do independent of an EL specialist to support your multilingual learners.

“A good starting point is uplifting student voice and being open, curious and welcoming toward students’ languages and experiences,” said WIDA Researcher Jennifer Wilfrid. “It sounds very simple, but focusing on this was very impactful for teachers in Project RESPECT.”

WIDA launched Project RESPECT in 2021 with a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The project has helped rural teachers build local capacity for providing effective language and literacy instruction for multilingual learners.

We’ve learned through this project and know from other research-backed best practices that the following actions can build a strong foundation in your classroom:

• Get to know multilingual learners as individuals. Teachers who take time to learn about students’ interests, experiences and learning preferences are better positioned to design instruction that resonates.
• Create a classroom environment with frequent opportunities for multilingual learners to interact with peers and hear and use language.
• Provide visuals, captions or transcripts and written reinforcement of spoken content to ensure multilingual learners can access core instruction in a variety of ways.
• Cultivate an asset-based mindset for teaching multilingual learners. This involves viewing cultural and linguistic diversity as a resource, integrating students’ cultural and linguistic resources into teaching and learning and understanding the importance of collaborating with students, families and colleagues to create quality learning opportunities for multilingual learners.
• Find and regularly engage with a thought partner and/or your grade-level team. Share what you are doing in your classroom and how you are supporting your students and exchange ideas.

Make limited collaboration time count

The foundation you build will set the stage for effective collaboration with an EL specialist. When time is limited, focus on the highest-leverage areas.

Build shared visibility into instruction by giving your EL specialist detailed information about your learners, lessons and materials. Create a joint planning document or shared folder with lesson plans, slides, texts and assignments. Even without co-planning time, this allows EL specialists to preview instruction, suggest language supports and modify materials asynchronously, so even if you are interacting infrequently, the collaboration can be ongoing.

Prioritize key questions. If you only have time for a short conversation, WIDA Fellow Betsy Vander Heiden recommends asking questions about the student’s current proficiency level and realistic expectations for the student. Ask about general strategies for scaffolding or modifying an assignment for a student at their proficiency level.

Assessment planning is another critical area for collaboration. WIDA Fellow Jessica Pulzetti says EL specialists should be looped in on assessments as soon as possible.

“If made aware of timing and format, I can modify materials throughout the unit to prepare students for the modified test,” Jessica said.

When shared planning time is limited, collaboration requires more intentional systems. Project RESPECT participants found success in developing structures that keep communication ongoing, even when schedules don’t align.

Shared digital tools, such as Google Docs, make it easy for teachers and specialists to exchange updates about students’ strengths, challenges and progress and hold informal check-ins as schedules allow.

Incorporate small changes for meaningful impact

An encouraging finding from Project RESPECT is that effective support for multilingual learners does not require sweeping changes or additional programs. In many cases, teachers improve outcomes by adjusting what they are already doing.

Offering multiple ways for students to demonstrate learning and knowledge, designing lessons that connect to students’ experiences or adding sentence frames to support discussions are all examples of small shifts with significant impact. Teachers often find it helpful to focus on one student, one strategy or one lesson at a time to gradually build their confidence and expertise.

Recognize progress

Progress for multilingual learners is not always immediate or easily measured by traditional assessments. Look for subtle signs of growth: increased participation, more frequent use of content-specific language, stronger engagement or increased confidence in sharing ideas or speaking.

Consider collecting classroom evidence of student learning and language growth, such as student work samples, or taking observational notes to help make progress more visible. Over time, these small indicators can create a clearer picture of learning and development.

Move forward with confidence

You don’t need to be multilingual or formally trained in language instruction to make a difference for your multilingual learners.

Even limited collaboration time with an EL specialist can be effective and helpful if you know where to start and which student learning and language development goals you are focusing on. Build a strong foundation, cultivate an asset-based mindset and be curious and reflective. With these intentional practices and a focus on students’ strengths, any content teacher can play a powerful role in helping multilingual learners develop their language and learning.