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Multilingual Education Toolkit

Tips, Insights, & Resources for Educators and School Leaders

Tips and resources on

Meet the learning needs of multilingual students: this year and beyond.

DEAR EDUCATOR—

In challenging times, what can you do to support multilingual learners and meet their unique learning needs, this year and far beyond? We’ve gathered some practical tips for you, straight from our expert authors on multilingual education. On the next pages, explore strategies and guidance on:

Getting to know your students

Supporting language and literacy development

Implementing schoolwide change

Using co-teaching to support students

Partnering with families

As a pioneering publisher in inclusive education, our priority is getting practical, cost-effective professional development guides into your hands so your school can make a real difference for multilingual students and their peers. And our free learning resources are always being updated to meet your needs.

Thanks for everything you do to welcome all students and help every learner reach their potential!

Getting to know your students

Explore our complete collection of multilingual education titles!

5 Ways to Gather Information About English Language Learners

Adapted from Differentiating Instruction and Assessment for English Language Learners, by Shelley Fairbairn & Stephaney Jones-Vo

  1. REVIEW THE CUMULATIVE FOLDER: To guide instruction and assessment, ELP test results and other data should be kept in a student’s cumulative folder.
  2. USE MULTIPLE MEASURES OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS: Design culturally and linguistically appropriate assessments that demonstrate what students can do with content and language.
  3. SEEK INPUT FROM COLLEAGUES: Collaborate with other school personnel for insights on working with students.
  4. MAKE HOME VISITS: Build relationships with students and families to reduce cultural distance between family and school.
  5. ASK STUDENTS THEMSELVES: Inquire about students' prior schooling, cultural practices, and interests.

Teacher Tips for Conducting Home Visits with Diverse Families

Adapted from Differentiating Instruction and Assessment for English Language Learners, by Shelley Fairbairn & Stephaney Jones-Vo

Plan your visit carefully.

Consider the purpose and length of your stay, bringing along materials for meaningful activities and discussions.

Observe others to avoid cultural missteps.

Follow your host’s lead regarding customs to prevent misunderstandings.

Take note of the environment.

Observe cultural artifacts and print materials to better understand your students’ context at home.

Allow for differences in communication styles.

Be mindful of communication styles that may differ by culture.

Pay attention to the power structure.

Notice family dynamics during conversations to ensure appropriate engagement.

Don’t take offense at “distractions.”

Understand that distractions might occur during a home visit but don’t let them disrupt the conversation.

Reinforce the importance of the home language.

Encourage parents to maintain their home language to support literacy development in English.

10 Questions to Guide Your Work with English Language Learners

Educators must be aware of the diversity in their schools and communities.

  1. What countries are the students or their families from?
  2. What languages are spoken in the students’ homes?
  3. What are their ethnicities and cultural identities?
  4. How long have the students been in the U.S.?
  5. What prior schooling do the students have?
  6. Can they read and write in their home languages?
  7. What are the parents’ education levels and literacy skills?
  8. What are the students’ neighborhoods like?
  9. What is each student’s socioeconomic status?
  10. What is the birth order of each student among their siblings?

Adapted from Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners, Fourth Edition, by Wayne E. Wright

Supporting language & literacy development

What the Research Says About Reading Instruction for ELLs

Literacy instruction approaches for mainstream students are not sufficient for ELLs; they require direct, explicit instruction tailored to their unique needs.

4 Key Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills to English Learners

Adapted from Literacy Foundations for English Learners, edited by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan

  1. Teach and model helpful routines.
  2. Integrate metacognitive awareness strategies.
  3. Scaffold story retells.
  4. Teach summarizing skills with graphic organizers.

10 Tips for Implementing Oral Reading Practice

Adapted from the chapter “Reading Fluency Among English Learners”

  1. Implement practice consistently, multiple times per week.
  2. Choose texts conducive to the student's reading level.
  3. Pre-read and teach critical vocabulary.
  4. Model reading fluency with expression.
  5. Record and chart reading metrics for assessment.

Your guide to evidence-based literacy instruction for ELLs

Strengthen your knowledge base with this comprehensive guide for delivering evidence-based literacy instruction for English learners in Pre-K–Grade 6.

8 Tips For School Leaders on Hiring Quality Teachers

  1. Use a recruitment plan reflecting the student population.
  2. Partner with universities for teacher candidates.
  3. Create a long-term professional learning plan.
  4. Institute mentorship and coaching programs.
  5. Reduce class sizes to ensure effective learning.

9 Ways School Leaders Can Support Young Multilingual Learners

  1. Prepare staff to work effectively with MLLs.
  2. Develop cohesive systems of policy and support.
  3. Plan language support per classroom.
  4. Focus on strategies for language development.
  5. Engage in professional development for staff.

Partnering with Families

5 Effective Strategies for Engaging Diverse Families in School

  1. Invite parents to participate in school activities.
  2. Use interactive bulletin boards for communication.
  3. Schedule regular parent–teacher conferences.
  4. Share quick activity ideas for home.
  5. Choose topics meaningful to diverse families for workshops.

6 Tips for Communicating with Diverse Families

  1. Ask families how they prefer to communicate.
  2. Provide information in both English and home languages.
  3. Consider alternate communication methods.
  4. Include visuals in communication.
  5. Let families know the best times to connect.

Are You Ready?

As you embark on this journey, engage with the resources available to ensure that you are supporting multilingual learners effectively.