Changing the Game Plan: A Teacher’s Playbook for Multilingual Learners
Written by: Tanika Kinartail
Meet Alonzo: The Real MVP
Meet Alonzo. He is currently in the 5th grade and is 11 years old. He was born and raised in Colombia. He is fluent in Spanish and is currently learning to speak English fluently in English. On his last WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), he was placed at a Level 3 for English proficiency. He and his family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, when he was in 3rd grade. He lives with his single father, two younger siblings, and one older sister. His mother died giving birth to his youngest brother 3 years ago, back in their home country. He is often required to care for his two younger siblings two nights a week while his father and sister work late. They both work at a nearby family-owned restaurant. Alonzo spends time there on the weekends, cleaning tables, running the dishwasher, and stocking the shelves. He is being trained to use the cash register, a challenge he finds exciting.
Alonzo has always had an interest in playing an instrument. When he was a young child, he could hear a band playing nearby in the village. He would sneak away from his chores to go witness the crowds gathering;, his eyes were immediately drawn to the guitarist. He never learned, though. He spends most of his time playing basketball with the neighborhood kids. He is among one of the oldest, so he typically keeps them in line. Alonzo usually does not share much about his life, but he seemed to open up to Mrs. Shelby. He sensed she was really interested in who he was as a person. She knew Alonzo found great interest in writing. He loved to write creative stories, so she would ask him to read them to her. She would offer Alonzo books that featured creative writing in his native language, Spanish, so he could read mentor texts for inspiration. Alonzo may not have known it at the time, but Mrs. Shelby was exhibiting an excellent strategy for multilingual learners. She is shifting her focus to Alonzo’s Funds of Knowledge.
On the Field: Funds of Knowledge
As teachers, we take a look at the class roster, and we immediately categorize students based on certain criteria. We take a “tip of the iceberg” glance at who will need specific support, time or attention. There is so much more to connecting students’ lives to the curriculum than just teaching a lesson. Only 10% of culture is visible on the surface, while the remaining 90% dictates deeper values and problem-solving skills (Hall, 1976). Our multilingual learners come to us with stories, stories that we, at times, overlook. We fail to make connections to the very things that can build the strongest foundation for achievement. Researchers Moll, Amanti, Neff, and Gonzalez (1992) designed the term “Funds of Knowledge” to describe the asset-based approach around recognizing the lived experiences of our multilingual learners. In a deficit-based approach, some of Alonzo’s lived experiences would be considered barriers to learning, distractions, or roadblocks. Funds of Knowledge considers Alonzo’s skills and interests as transferable into the learning space. As his classroom teacher, Mrs. Shelby is doing just that. When students feel their identities are viewed as positive rather than negative, they begin to see themselves as capable of being successful. Join me as we talk strategy and review some helpful plays to help our multilingual learners get in the game!
Instant Replay
Funds of Knowledge describe the asset-based approach around recognizing the lived experiences of our multilingual learners. We consider the knowledge gained from these experiences as sources of wealth that can be leveraged in the classroom and school setting.
The Scouting Report
Firstly, I’d like us to get on the same page about who a Multilingual Learner is. A Multilingual Learner is a student who is developing proficiency in multiple languages. The name itself promotes asset-based thinking. As of 2024-2025, the Indiana Department of Education (2024) reported we are serving a population of 103,024 Multilingual Learners. This number represents roughly 10% of the total student population. More than 139,000 Indiana students speak multiple languages at home, over 295 languages. Those figures only continue to grow as time passes. So what’s the move?
The Game Plan
Sit down with one of your multilingual learners each day and begin to unpack their “superpowers”. Surface-level surveys with standard questions about favorite color and sports team will not reveal a student’s Funds of Knowledge. Here are some example questions for older students who have higher levels of English proficiency:
- Who do you take care of in your neighborhood or at home?
- If you cook meals at home, what do you typically make and how do you do it?
- When something breaks in your home, do you fix it? If so, how?
- What is a job or skill someone in your family is really good at? Have you learned it yet?
- When your family goes to the grocery store, doctor or school, do you ever have to translate?
Here are a few ways to engage younger students or students who are in early stages of English acquisition:
- Use a visual questionnaire. Allow students to draw a picture of their home or what they do over the weekends. Ask them to describe it to you, emphasizing the places they go, the chores they do and who they may see.
- Encourage students to respond in their native language. Involve someone who may be able to interpret or use a tool to assist with translation.
“When students feel their identities are viewed as positive rather than negative, they begin to see themselves as capable of being successful.”
On the Field: Food, Flags and Festivals
Don’t get me wrong, there is value in altering our learning environments to reflect the identities of our students. There is also merit in hosting festivals and serving foods that represent the many cultures that may exist in our school communities. However, if we are discussing ways to enhance learning for multilingual students by amplifying their assets, we must dig deeper. The reality is that the current curriculum lacks the content that students can see themselves in. The math story problems, short stories, writing prompts, science case studies and history books lack representation of our growing student population. We must be dedicated to bridging the gap between our multilingual students and the curriculum we teach.
Instant Replay
Understanding a student’s assets is greater than showing interest in their food, flags and festivals. We must uncover the skills and transferable knowledge a child possesses in order to tap into their potential.
The Scouting Report
According to researcher John Haitte (2009), a “Teacher’s Estimate of Achievement,” which is whether a teacher views a student through a deficit or asset-based lens, has a significant effect size of 1.62 on student outcomes. For reference, any score above 0.40 is considered greatly impactful. Mrs. Shelby is displaying this practice with Alonzo. Alonzo enjoys writing and does so creatively. However, he lacks the skills to write fluently in English. Mrs. Shelby refuses to focus on what he lacks, but rather what he possesses. She invites him to read aloud his short stories and provides him with literature in his native language. If Mrs. Shelby had focused on his deficits, she would lower expectations and limit his exposure to writing and reading to prevent him from struggling academically. This, in turn, would discourage Alonzo and may result in lower achievement in English Language Arts. Researchers Thomas and Collier (1997), share that when schools use asset-based instructions that honor deep culture and native languages, multilingual learners may eventually outscore their monolingual English-speaking peers on standardized tests by the time they reach secondary school.
The Game Plan
This coming week, take a look at your student text, word problems, visuals, science content, etc. How much of it reflects mainstream American culture? Do your multilingual students see themselves in the curriculum? It is possible that students are struggling to learn the skills being taught because they are unfamiliar with the content. We learned that Alonzo is learning to use the cash register at the family-owned restaurant. It is a challenge, but he enjoys learning. Mrs. Shelby worked with him and a few other students in math small groups this week. To Alonzo’s surprise and delight, Mrs. Shelby created a word problem about a boy working the cash register at a diner. The students needed to decide on the total of the meal and how much change the customer would get in return. Alonzo was beaming with joy. He immediately had the background information needed to understand the scenario. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) shares Building Background Knowledge as one of the most effective strategies for delivering quality instruction to multilingual learners.
On the Field: Now, You’re Speaking My Language
Let us go back to my first year of teaching in 2007. I was teaching 5th grade. My class was full of students from diverse backgrounds, including students of various English proficiency levels. There were 7-8 students who spoke Spanish as their native language, three of whom were unable to speak, read, or write in English at all. Picture me, a first-year teacher, with limited knowledge of how to meet the needs of these multilingual learners. I had no knowledge of what an Individualized Learning Plan, an outline of a multilingual learner’s academic goals and strategies, and services to achieve them, was so I did what I thought was best. I attempted to teach the students English starting with basic terms, I paired them with peers who spoke fluent English, and allowed them to process their learning in their native language. I now understand I was using translanguaging in my classroom.
Translanguaging is a pedagogical approach that encourages multilinguals to utilize their native language to learn new content. I would be remiss if I did not also recognize the wonderful partnership I developed with the teachers and paraprofessionals who supported multilingual learners each and every day. I made sure to collaborate with them daily, discuss the progress of students, share wins, and most importantly, ask for advice. By the end of the school year, I was immensely proud of those three students. They were able to hold a basic conversation and produce written work in English. The looks on their faces when the barrier of language began to dissipate was worth it. I realized I had created a space for them to stay true to their native language and while building fluency in a new one.
Instant Replay:
I now understand I was using translanguaging in my classroom. Translanguaging is a pedagogical approach that encourages multilinguals to utilize their native language to learn new content.
The Scouting Report
According to linguistic expert Dr. Ofelia Garcia (2009), translanguaging is a catalyst for language acquisition and academic achievement. Data shows that students who use their native language to process English “consistently reach or exceed the 50th percentile in reading comprehension in both languages by late elementary school, and they often surpass their peers who speak only English. Banning the use of a child’s native language does not speed up the process of learning English. It prevents students from using their cognitive effort to learn skills and forces them to focus solely on language acquisition. Our prior knowledge lives in our native languages. Without access to it, learning suffers. Mrs. Shelby understands the power of translanguaging. She honors the realization that Spanish language is the soil in which many of Alonzo’s experiences have been planted. She must give him opportunities to tend to that garden while also planting a new language in the same soil. As learning and development continue, Alonzo will benefit from the nourishment Mrs. Shelby provides through translanguaging.
The Game Plan
Let’s chat about what this looks like in the classroom. The next time you engage students in a protocol that requires them to brainstorm with their peers about ideas, support with evidence, explain a math problem, or make a prediction, consider pairing or grouping students who speak the same language. Not only are you providing students the opportunity for Interaction, which is a component of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), but by allowing students to do so in their native language, they are able to focus only on learning the skill. Following that activity, you may have students develop their work in English. A similar example would be to allow a multilingual student to write their draft for persuasive writing in their native language, then encourage them to write their final version in English with support. In Alonzo’s example, Mrs. Shelby provided him with mentor texts that were written in Spanish. The goal was for him to use his mental energy to gain inspiration for his creative writing, not to learn English. Translanguaging can also show up in the classroom environment. The next time you create an anchor chart, consider making it bilingual. If you are unsure of the language, have the students or multilingual learner support staff assist you. If you show a video during class, consider turning on the captions in the students’ native language. All of these are examples of translanguaging and are ways to leverage multilingualism.
“Without access to it, learning suffers. Mrs. Shelby understands the power of translanguaging. She honors the realization that Spanish language is the soil in which many of Alonzo’s experiences have been planted. She must give him opportunities to tend to that garden while also planting a new language in the same soil. As learning and development continue, Alonzo will benefit from the nourishment Mrs. Shelby provides through translanguaging.”
On the Field: Accessing Grade-Level Content
When you read about Alonzo’s story, it may be easy to have the desire to provide an easier path for him. Not only has his life been challenging, but he’s also been required to learn a new language. He is at a Level 3 for English Proficiency as a fifth grade student, that should be enough to modify his school work. Right? The truth is limiting Alonzo’s access to grade-level content would make his journey in school more difficult than easy. Language proficiency does not equal cognitive ability. Therefore, the issue is not whether a child can perform a task, but whether they can perform the task in English or their native language. The key is to maintain high expectations for our multilingual students and provide them with opportunities to advance linguistically and academically. There is a clear distinction between modifications and scaffolds. According to the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), we should always aim for scaffolding practices. Modification refers to the changing of the content or standard, whereas scaffolding refers to the provision of support until the students can perform independently. The exception to this matter would be if a multilingual student has been identified as a student with special needs. In this situation, the students would, indeed, have modifications and scaffolds. Otherwise, multilingual students deserve access to rigorous grade-level standards and curriculum.
Instant Replay
Therefore, the issue is not whether a child can perform a task, but whether they can perform the task in English or their native language. The key is to maintain high expectations for our multilingual students, providing them with opportunities to advance linguistically and academically.
The Scouting Report
In a study called The Opportunity Myth conducted by The New Teacher Project (2018), researchers analyzed various classroom assignments. They discovered that students succeeded on grade-level work 73% of the time when they were actually given it. However, students who started the year behind were only given grade-level assignments 17% of the time. What does this mean? When students who are marginalized or behind academically are given access to grade level work, they close the achievement gap by more than seven months more than students who are given work that is below grade level. Multilingual students do not need a lowered bar, they need a ladder to reach it. That proverbial ladder is scaffolding.
The Game Plan
Several components of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) speak to this idea of scaffolding. Two, in particular, are Comprehensible Input and Lesson Preparation. Comprehensible Input refers to spoken or written language content that learners understand. Lesson Preparation refers to developing clear content and language objectives, adapting curriculum to levels of proficiency, using helpful additional materials, and developing meaningful activities.
When considering which scaffold to use, remember there are three types: Verbal, Instructional and Procedural, also known as V.I.P. scaffolds. Verbal scaffolds are focused on language development, Instructional scaffolds are tools that support learning, Procedural scaffolds refer to the use of grouping techniques and/or activity structures. Here are three examples that represent each of the V.I.P. scaffolds.
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- Verbal: During a small group lesson with Alonzo included, Mrs. Shelby incorporated the use of cognates into the anchor chart she was designing for a math lesson on coordinate planes. She had written el coordenada next to the English word coordinate. The students were then tasked with creating their own anchor chart applying the new strategy they had learned. Alonzo was encouraged to complete his anchor chart in the language he best understood.
- Instructional: Alonzo may be working on identifying the main idea and details of a text. Students are given a graphic organizer to complete while reading a passage. An example of scaffolding would not involve Mrs. Shelby replacing his 5th grade-level text with a 3rd grade-level text. Instead, she could bold specific vocabulary terms, include words from his native language, and provide him with a differentiated graphic organizer. The graphic organizer would include sentence starters to guide Alonzo’s thinking.
- Procedural: Students in Mrs. Shelby’s fifth grade class were preparing to do some collaborative work on the topic of U.S. History. There was an article students needed to read prior to beginning on the task. Mrs. Shelby used a Jigsaw protocol as a scaffold. Students were assigned to read a section of the article then met in “expert groups” to discuss the text. Once they were comfortable with the content, they return to home groups to teach one another and prepare to move forward with the task.
In each of these examples, the expectations were not lowered, and the work was not watered down. Structures were embedded to support students until they no longer needed them. This is the way scaffolding works in a classroom where multilingual students have access to grade-level content.
The Game Winning Point
In the introduction, you met a young man, Alonzo, who deserved to receive equal access to grade-level content and be seen as valued and capable. Through accessing his Funds of Knowledge, recognizing his assets, incorporating translanguaging, and building in scaffolds, we did just that. I charge you to do the same for your multilingual learners. Start with one of the game plans and commit to putting it into action starting Monday. Repeat it for one week and document the changes you see, academically and psychosocially, in your multilingual learners. You will find that more students can win if given the opportunity to get in the game!
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References
- García, O. (2009). Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond culture. Anchor Books.
- Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
- Moll, L. C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31(2), 132–141.
- Thomas, W. P., & Collier, V. P. (1997). School effectiveness for language minority students. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education.
- TNTP. (2018). The opportunity myth: What students can show us about how school is letting them down—and how to fix it. The New Teacher Project.
- Indiana Department of Education. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/doe/files/2024-2025-Public-English-Learner-Counts.pdf
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