Celebrating Multilingual Learners in the Classroom

The rich tapestry of cultures and life experiences that multilingual students of all backgrounds bring to the classroom can serve as the foundation upon which an inclusive, welcoming, and equitable learning environment can be built. The knowledge, histories, and values that these students share with their teachers and peers illustrates their culture as conveyed through their native language. A classroom of diverse multilingual learners, each one with a different story to tell about their heritage, demonstrates today’s globally interconnected world. These students’ life experiences are a resource that teachers can integrate into the curriculum to create new learning opportunities for all students. By adopting a teaching strategy that is culturally responsive, educators can facilitate a classroom environment that encourages greater appreciation and respect for other cultures and customs. Kathleen Ramos, associate professor in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Education and Foreign Languages Education programs within the School of Education at George Mason University, recently shared her thoughts on how educators can use culturally and linguistically responsive practices in creating a welcoming and inclusive learning space that supports students in language acquisition and in learning subject content.

An approach based on “funds of knowledge” emphasizes the experiences of the multilingual learner.

One of the challenges educators may encounter when working with students who are gaining proficiency in the primary language used in the classroom is determining what they may already know about math, science, or other subjects being taught in class. This can be difficult because each multilingual learner may have a different educational history. Teachers must address these differences while also finding a way to connect the subject matter to the student so that they find it relevant and relatable.

One approach is to focus on the learner’s “funds of knowledge,” a teaching strategy that connects knowledge learned at home to what is taught in class. This approach was developed by researchers Luis Moll, Cathy Amanti, Deborah Neff, and Norma Gonzalez. The term “funds of knowledge” refers to the wealth of heritage-rich experiences that a culturally and linguistically diverse learner brings to the classroom. This includes how they use language in their home and community. A classroom teacher can use this information in developing meaningful lessons that are culturally relevant and academically enriching for the multilingual learner and their classmates. In doing so, the experiences shared by a multilingual learner can be viewed as a learning resource or asset benefiting the entire class.

To illustrate how this could work in a classroom, a multilingual learner might share a story with the teacher about a recipe that is popular in their home culture and consumed regularly during family meals. The information about this ethnic specialty could serve as the basis for a math assignment where the student needs to determine ingredient amounts, cooking times, the number of servings, and other recipe components where math skills are required. This is just one example illustrating how the cultural experiences of a multilingual learner can be integrated into the classroom curriculum in a meaningful and educational way. The “funds of knowledge” approach can be further enhanced using instructional aids that include digital tools, graphic organizers, visuals, and other supports that can help facilitate language acquisition and age-appropriate mastery of curriculum content.

Communicating with families of multilingual learners is critical.

Family engagement is a critical aspect of the “funds of knowledge” approach. Parents can provide teachers with information on the multilingual learner’s cultural experiences, strengths, and any challenges they may be facing at home. Input of parents is critical in gaining a deeper understanding of the community as well as the customs, cultural, and social practices which influence multilingual learners. This knowledge is essential in creating a classroom environment that is equitable and one which recognizes that multilingual learners have a unique set of experiences and resources from which other students can learn. Today’s technology has made it easier for teachers to establish and maintain communications with the families of multilingual learners through apps that are specifically designed for parent-teacher interactions.

Language and culture shape personal identity.

Language plays a big part in shaping the personal identity of an individual. Each language has its own unique dialect, grammar, idioms, and phraseology. These distinctive features of language become part of an individual’s identity and reflect a person’s heritage, values, beliefs, and practices specific to their culture and community—all of which have a profound effect on how a person views the world. As an individual develops proficiency in a new language, this becomes another facet of their already existing identities. And along with this new linguistic identity is a connection to the culture represented by that language.

As multilingual learners gain proficiency in new languages and develop a connection to the cultures from which these languages originated, their personal identities will expand to include these new cultural and linguistic characteristics. This will make multilingual learners better prepared to live in a world where populations of diverse cultures and languages can work cooperatively across borders in reaching common goals. And in the classroom, the celebration and encouragement of cultural pluralism and multilingualism will foster the creation of a learning space that is equitable and inclusive.

To learn more about degree offerings in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Education and Foreign Language Education programs within George Mason University’s School of Education, please visit the program websites.