As a longtime educator and of Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs, also known as English Language Learners or ELLs) and a lead in my board for ESL/ELD programming, I have been in an incredibly privileged position to learn and implement Ministry policy in Ontario schools. And while I am certain there are more resources and professional development opportunities in the field than ever, many misconceptions about supporting MLLs still persist.

This article is all about clearing the air – here are four common myths about teaching MLLs in Ontario, and what educators should understand in order to align pedagogy to policy and best practices.

Myth #1: Newcomer Students should Learn English First Before Learning other Subjects

Reality: Newcomer MLLs, even in the early Steps to English Proficiency (STEP), can and should learn alongside their peers in every subject. MLLs are acquiring the language of instruction and learning the Ontario curriculum at the same time.

There is no policy or guideline that suggests a baseline level of English proficiency is needed for an ELL to learn the same subjects as their peers. There are, however, many policy supported program adaptations – including modifications and accommodations – that teachers should put in place to provide entry points into grade-level curriculum.

MLLs, especially those in the junior and intermediate grades, bring a wide range of skills and lived experiences to Ontario classrooms. It is important to empower MLLs to leverage their multilingual literacy and numeracy skills to engage with the same curriculum as their peers: this could mean using translation tools, working with same language speaking peers, or having language output goals aligned with their level of English proficiency.

Myth #2: English Learners should Learn English before French

Reality: English language learners can do as well as, and even outperform their Canadian-born peers in FSL programs.

I think the assumption that ELLs should be exempt from French stems from the idea that they should be using that time to learn English instead, or that older elementary-aged newcomer students have already missed too much French instruction to be successful. “Welcoming English Language Learners into French as a Second Language Programs, published by the Ministry of Education in 2016, shares research about ELLs in FSL programs that shows how they are uniquely positioned to be successful in French classrooms.

Furthermore, older ELLs transitioning to secondary school that have received less than 600 hours of French instruction can be supported through courses like FSF1O, also known as the open course. FSF 1O is an introductory course intended for students who have NOT accumulated a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction by the end of Grade 8, regardless of attendance or language proficiency.

Closing a pathway to French instruction to newcomer MLLs is inequitable, and removes an opportunity for students to learn an additional language.

Myth #3: Teachers Must Always Modify Curriculum and check the ESL/ELD box on the report card  for Students in STEP 1 and 2.

Reality: There is no policy or guideline that states students in the early Steps to English Proficiency (STEPs) must receive modifications, though it is highly likely they would benefit from modifications and other program adaptations at that point in their language acquisition. As per Growing Success (p. 76), the box is checked to indicate only when modifications have been made to curriculum expectations to address the language learning needs of English language learners.

Growing Success policy (p. 77) also states, “It is essential for all educators to understand the distinction between modifications and accommodations as well as the importance of providing either or both, as needed, to English language learners. These measures contribute to fairness and social justice for many students in an increasingly multicultural environment.”

Around report card time, I often get the question – “should I check the ESL/ELD box on the report card for all ELLs and STEPs 1 and 2?” The answer to this question is always nuanced, because it is not really an “yes” or “no” response. It depends on evidence of student learning and what we learn as educators from ongoing assessment for learning.

Simply clicking the ESL/ELD box on the report card without understanding the program adaptations that have been made for an ELL is not a best practice. The better question to ask is whether or not the student is receiving modifications to overall curriculum expectations. For many MLLs in the early STEPs, they may very well be – but perhaps not in every subject. For example, in a class like physical education, where the learning is interactive, the student may only need accommodations. The same thing may also be true for students in the Kindergarten program, where much of the learning is play-based.

The takeaway? If you are wondering whether or not to check the ESL/ELD box, consider what program adaptations you have made to make the curriculum accessible to the MLLs you teach. There is no “blanket rule” for modifying for MLLs or checking the ESL/ELD box on the report card.

Myth #4: MLLs Cannot be Considered for Special Education Needs until they have been in School for at Least 5-7 Years

Reality: There is no policy document that states that MLLs must be in school in Canada for any length of time in order to be considered for Special Education Support.

While it can take 5-7 years for newcomer ELLs to catch up to the same academic language proficiency as their peers (Supporting English Language Learners, p. 11), that time frame should not be a determining metric for considering MLLs with possible education needs. Such considerations should always be made on a case-by-case basis, looking closely at the student’s individual portrait, background, cultural funds of knowledge, and programming being implemented in the school and classroom.

MLLs are just as likely as any other group of students to have special education needs, and it is important to identify those needs using the processes and tools available in your board. It is also essential to take the right amount of time to observe the student to determine whether or not their areas of concern are related to language acquisition.

Recently I had the privilege of supporting an event organized by my school board on the “Future of Healthcare”. My role was simple: usher a group of 20 secondary students around different workshops organized by healthcare professionals from the Toronto and Peel area.

I expected a full day of listening, learning, and spending time with a new group of students – which is a pretty fabulous day for any teacher. What I didn’t expect was to be blown away by the critical connections these healthcare providers would make with students throughout the day. The Future of Healthcare program, coordinated in collaboration with the Peel DSB and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), is designed to “target underrepresented youth and expose them to postsecondary education that could lead to career opportunities in the healthcare field.” In a world where we often hear about the defunding and discrediting of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it was powerful to see the impact of cultural responsive pedagogy in action and also see the possibilities for a more inclusive, identity-affirming healthcare system.

I believe that it is more important than ever to keep a focus on cultural responsiveness in teaching, particularly during a moment where xenophobic and racist commentary regularly saturate social media feeds. As an educator, I’ve noticed an increase of rhetoric in the media and the field suggesting equity and anti-racism pedagogy cannot exist in tandem with “back-to-basics”, “common sense” foundational literacy and mathematics initiatives. Participating in a pathways planning event where there was an intentional centring of diverse voices and identities reaffirmed my belief that culturally responsive pedagogy does not weaken, but enhances and enriches learning for students.

Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pathway Planning

The positive effects of cultural responsiveness and inclusivity extend far beyond the classroom – when we expose students to careers in a way that is more attuned to the variability of students’ lived experiences and the barriers they may face, we help them to see what is possible in their own lives.

For example, many students associate healthcare careers with well-known roles like doctor or nurse – but there are so many other options like social worker, lab specialist, therapist, or emergency medical technicians that they may not be aware of without knowing someone directly linked to the field. As a second generation Canadian from immigrant parents, I can attest that was hard to understand all the different pathways I could access as an adult, much less what I needed to do to prepare for them. Having opportunities to see the range of options in the workforce can make all the difference for students that have limited connections to a particular industry.

As elementary educators, topics like the workforce, college, and university can feel distant. But the reality is that many students have to start thinking seriously about their future pathways in the intermediate years – it is not long after grade 8 that students must make intentional course selections, choose part-time jobs, or pursue co-op and volunteering options. Taking opportunities to introduce students to workplace options, even in the elementary years, can result in real, life-changing decisions.

Representation Matters

Representation can be game-changing when it comes to the topic of career and pathway planning for students. Being able to witness the impact of representation in real time at the Future of Healthcare event was one of the best professional learning experiences I’ve had all year.

As an observer, I could see the affective filters of students lower when engaging with so many peers and professionals that they could identify with. Participation was high, and students were eager to ask questions about the medical field. A Sikh doctor gave insight on how to respond to a case study in which an unconscious patient’s religious beliefs conflicted with the haircutting required to perform a life-saving surgery. Students weighed in on the right course of action to take when the ingredients of a prescribed, essential medication were revealed to be at odds with the dietary restrictions of a Muslim patient.

Though students from different schools were intentionally mixed with other schools, they were eager to collaborate and problem solve case studies that explored the intersection of culture and medicine. They considered possible ways to respond to challenging situations, and how to create caring, supportive healthcare environments for culturally diverse communities.

I strongly believe that what made the learning so meaningful was the lived experiences and cultural funds of knowledge the speakers brought – in addition to the wealth of medical expertise and qualifications they had. In a country with a population as diverse as Canada’s such knowledge is an asset to professional practice.

There is More Work to Do

A day before I went to the Future of Healthcare event I was working in a classroom with newcomer students in English Literacy Development programs, and I asked one student what schools could do to support him. He stated quite frankly: “we need to know what courses to take, what grades we need, to become what we want.” Newcomer students in particular have a disadvantage in that they and their families may be unfamiliar with topics like credit accumulation, English proficiency assessments, and how and when to apply for postsecondary institutions.

As a middle school teacher, I didn’t look into what course selection could look like for students nor what secondary school credits they needed long into my career. I think this was something overlooked that I really should have corrected sooner, rather than simply relying on my own experience as a high school student in Ontario.

In a changing world with so many new careers emerging, it is key to be aware of what formal learning and lived experiences students should have to help them pursue future goals. Give students time to ask questions and talk about their future aspirations. And of course – as educators we don’t have all the answers – but by taking the time to listen we can help students to find the resources they can leverage to become what they want to be.

As educators, there are many difficult situations we have to navigate when it comes to identifying the best program pathways for students. One common situation is when a Multilingual Language Learner (MLL, also known as English Language Learners) experiences significant challenges in their learning.

But how do you know whether or not their difficulties are related to possible special education needs, or language learning? How do you know if you should the student to the attention of a school review committee?

This blog is all about what classroom educators can do when they notice an MLL is experiencing difficulties in their learning. You may be surprised to learn that there are a number of actions you can take even before bringing the student to your school’s review process.

Develop a Learner Portrait for the MLL

Knowing your learner is essential to any teaching practice, and there are a number of additional factors that should be considered when the learner is an MLL. Is the student under consideration a newcomer? Canadian born? Where are they positioned in the Steps to English Proficiency (STEP) continua? How long have they been in their current STEP?

A learner portrait is essentially a document where you can take note of a student’s cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge, level of language proficiency, as well as the student’s interests, goals, and other information you may have gathered about the student’s background. You may also want to include notes on what you are observing about their language and literacy behaviours.

With a fulsome learner portrait, you will be better equipped to adapt your programming to meet the student’s needs and address the difficulties they are experiencing. You will also find a student portrait useful if you choose to bring the learner at an in-school review.

Ensure all the Appropriate Program Adaptations are in Place

With a strong understanding of the learner, check to see that you are adapting programming appropriately for the student with accommodations and, if needed, modifications aligned with their STEP. You may also want to consider the following questions as you re-examine your programming:

Are there multi-modal options (ex. Use of assistive technology, alternative presentation formats) for the student to share knowledge and engage in learning?

Is the curriculum content comprehensible to the student at their STEP? Are you leveraging the students’ interests in your teaching and assessment? Is your programming culturally responsive? Does your teaching practice include scaffolds beneficial for MLLs, such as sentence frames, models, and graphic organizers?

If you do bring the student up to a school review committee, it is important to share what program adaptations you have already put in place so all stakeholders can see the work you are doing to meet the student’s language acquisition needs.

Gather Samples of Student Work

Looking closely at student work: journal writing, writing assessments, reading responses, mathematical problem solving, and other forms of output, can be an excellent starting point for identifying areas of support. You’ll also find having concrete pieces of evidence useful for sharing with family and support staff when discussing your academic concerns about the student.

If you are having difficulty gathering authentic and concrete samples of work from the student, consider how else you might their learning visible. Provide options for them to create video or audio content, or record anecdotal notes about what you are observing about their learning behaviours during group activities and class discussions.

Connect with the Family

Communicating and collaborating with families is critical when a student is experiencing difficulties in their learning. You will want to make sure they are aware about what challenges their child is experiencing in school, and find out if they are noticing anything about their child’s behaviour at home.

When communicating with families, include the student in the conversation if possible. Be prepared to speak to specific examples challenges and strengths for the learner. Keep track of any conversations you have with families, and take notes on what was covered during the call or meeting.

Seek Input from Other Educators that Teach the Student

You will also find it useful to connect with other educators that teach the student to see if they are observing anything similar or different in the subjects they teach them. They may also be able to share additional samples of the student’s work, and give their insights on the learner.

It’s not uncommon for other educators to see a side of the student you may not – the information they share may also help you develop a student portrait.

Find out what your Board’s Protocol is for Identifying MLLs with Possible Special Education Needs

Finally, find out what your board’s protocol is for identifying MLLs who may have special education needs. In some cases, an observation period is implemented, where classroom and support educators try different strategies to determine whether or not a student’s difficulties are related to language learning. Learning what the process is early will also help you to better prepare for that possibility.

In part 1 of this blog, we explored the first two steps of developing programming adaptations for MLLs: know the learner and determine the language demands of your program. Next, we will take the insights gathered from these initial steps to create appropriate accommodations and modifications for MLLs.

When educators have an understanding of MLL learner variability and the language demands of the curriculum we are teaching, we are well equipped to develop programs that are flexible enough to meet the needs of all students. And while you will inevitably run into challenges, make mistakes, and find that some ideas simply won’t work – it is all part of the growth we are privileged to experience as teachers.

Let’s start by reviewing definitions of MLL accommodations and modifications, and how we can select adaptations to correlate with the student’s level of language proficiency and learner variability.

Accommodations for MLLs

Accommodations are tier 1 supports that educators can implement at any time. They benefit more than just the MLLs in your classroom, and are effective for all students. These strategies do not require any alteration in curriculum expectations, and help MLLs access the same content as their peers.

There are many accommodations for MLLs out there, but they can broadly be categorized as follows.

Instructional Accommodations, which involve changes in teaching strategies, materials, or approaches that help students access the curriculum. Some examples include:

• Visual supports
• Pre-teaching vocabulary
• Use of visual cues
• Sentence frames and starters
• Modeling
• “Chunking” tasks
• Use of role-playing, manipulative, and other interactive tasks

Learning Resource Accommodations are adjustments to the tools and materials used for learning. Some examples include:

• Audiobooks
• Bilingual or picture dictionaries
• Graphic organizers
• Digital learning tools
• Infographics
• Translation tools
• Dual language books
• Alternative Reading Materials

Assessment Accommodations are adjustments to the way students demonstrate their learning. Some examples include:

• Oral response instead of written
• Use of media tools to demonstrate learning
• Use of assistive technology to complete assignments
• Cloze sentences
• Use of translation tools to evaluate a student’s response in their preferred language

With so many different options for MLL accommodations available, you may find it handy to keep a list somewhere visible for easy reference. They will be particularly relevant when you can align them with areas of the curriculum that have high language demands for input and output: for example, a reading in a subject like social studies, or an assignment that previously involved solely a written response.

Modifications for MLLs

Modifications are changes made to grade level curriculum expectations for a subject in order to meet the MLL’s language learning needs. They may include changes to the number of curriculum expectations, and changes to the complexity of a curriculum. Modifications for ELLs in English as a Second Language programs typically do not involve a change in grade level. This is because the modifications are put in place to address language learning needs, not cognitive demands.

In most cases, modified curriculum expectations are needed for students in the earliest Steps to English Language Proficiency, such as STEPs 1-3. Students with an emergent level of English realistically require modifications because they may still be in the process of acquiring basic interpersonal communication skills (English for social and practical situations).

Keep in mind, however, that it is important to maintain high expectations for students and to not “water down” the curriculum. It can be demotivating, particularly for older children, to be offered picture books with content that is not aligned with their age group. Check with your teacher-librarian to see if there are hi-lo novels or visually supported non-fiction or interest-related texts that MLLs will be excited to explore.

In some situations, such as math, you may find that an MLL needs to develop a skill that was taught in earlier grades because they did not have the opportunity to learn it in their previous school, have not attended school, or because they were not able to learn the skill as a result of language learning in the past. Modifications are essential in this context to ensure that the student can meet grade level curriculum learning as soon as possible. Focus on accelerating the student’s learning in that area, and monitor the student’s growth so you know whether or not a higher tier of support may be required.

Example of modifications for MLLs.

Grade 7 History: By the end of Grade 7, the student will…

Analyse some of the main challenges facing various individuals, groups, and/or communities, including First Nations, Metis, and Inuit individuals and communities, in Canada between 1713 and 1800 and ways in which people responded to those challenges.

Modified:

Understand how different Indigenous communities and peoples in Canada responded to challenges between 1713 and 1800.

Assessment and Evaluation

When modified curriculum expectations are used to adapt instruction for MLLs, be sure to assess students based on the modified expectations. When assessing early STEP MLLs, remember to adjust language output goals according to the student’s STEP. Look for growth in language and literacy skills, and focus on evaluating student work that happens closer to reporting periods, as this is when students will have had opportunities to learn and acquire more English skills.

Supporting Multilingual Learners: Final Thoughts

Learning how to develop and implement program adaptions for MLLs is another step you can take toward enhancing your teaching practice for all the learners you teach. Know your learner, identify the language demands of the curriculum you are teaching, determine the accommodations and modifications that will best support your learners, and you’ll enable the MLLs you teach to participate and engage more actively in their learning.

When I taught grade 6, my favourite subject to teach and co-teach was social studies. The focus on trade in the Geography curriculum was an area that I found particularly intriguing to teach. Topics like current events, fair trade, trade agreements, and Canada’s international relationships are exciting because the world is constantly changing.

The first Trump presidency gave me a good reason to revisit the content I had developed. In the past, the main trade agreement we focused on was the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was renegotiated into the USMCA or CUSMA.

More than a few years have passed since 2018 and in a dramatic start to 2025, so has Canada’s relationship with the United States. The American government’s decision to potentially tariff Canadian goods has become not only an economic decision with significant impacts to both sides of the Canada-US border, but a major shift in Canada’s relationship with its southern neighbour.

Whether or not these decisions are even implemented, the political turmoil that has made headlines in the early weeks of 2025 highlights reminds us of how important it is for kids to have a strong social studies education.

It is important for children to have a critical thinking skillset for the news stories and headlines they are bound to encounter on the internet or in family conversations. Students also benefit from understanding the importance of civic responsibility and the impact of elections. Social studies learning also helps students to build academic vocabulary skills in a meaningful way. Not only are they learning language in a more formal register, they will have increased opportunities to explore the new words they are learning because they will hear the same language being used in the media and family conversations.

Let’s take a closer look at these reasons.

Social Studies Learning Helps Children to think Critically about a Changing World

Quality instruction that teaches kids the fundamentals of inquiry, critical thinking, mapping, land formations, climate zones, colonization, international agreements, and economics – just to name a few social studies topics topics – helps children make sense of world they live in from a broader context.

In today’s world, where news travels quickly through social media channels and misinformation runs rampant, being able to make sense of it all in a balanced, reasonable way is critical. It is all too easy to adopt a perspective without hearing alternative viewpoints, and social studies is one of the best areas of curriculum to make critical thinking come to life.

Social Studies Helps Students to Understand the Importance of Civic Responsibility

Society needs people to take civic responsibility for their communities, whether it is organizing to improve neighbourhoods and regions or taking the role of a leader in different types of organizations. Strong instruction in social studies fosters a passion for civic responsibility in children and a drive to innovate and improve their town, city, province, or country.

Why might it be important to join a residents’ association? What are the reasons people seek political office? What can you do to improve your school community? When we teach children about how society works, we empower children to start improving their communities right away.

Social Studies Supports Academic Language Development

Finally, social studies learning is one of the best subjects for teaching academic language – the words and discourse we don’t use in everyday social language, but in more formal settings like school and work.

One of the biggest challenges I have had as an educator is helping students to communicate in different registers or discourses that are valued in academic settings and in the workplace. Teaching language through subjects like history and geography makes a high impact on learners, especially when they encounter that language in current events that are real and relevant to their families and communities.

Final Thoughts

It doesn’t take long to see how quickly the world can change, especially when we consider the headlines of the recent past. Helping children to think critically the slew of events and perspectives that accompany a major world event is essential to their growth as readers, consumers, and citizens.

“Stretching Language”: Supporting ELLs in Building Academic Vocabulary

“Stretching” language is an essential but underrated way educators can teach academic language to students, especially those who are acquiring English as an additional language.

Incorporating new and infrequently used vocabulary into our linguistic repertoire is not easy – even for adults. As educators, we must often adopt new terminology to align our practice and professional discourse with ever-evolving instructional strategies.

For example, I probably never used the phrase “phonemic awareness” as a middle school teacher. But as foundational literacy or “science of reading” approaches have quickly become part of my day-to-day work, I kept running into the phrase.

But once I encountered the word a few times, and was compelled to use it in conversations with colleagues, it became a term I felt comfortable using. In short, I needed to find ways to “stretch” my language usage to make it a word I could use comfortably.

Students are constantly learning new, infrequently used words every day in Ontario classrooms, particularly in subjects like math, science, and social studies. But in order for them to make those words easy to retrieve and use, they must have opportunities for practice.

The practice of using new academic words is even more challenging for English language learners (ELLs), who may also be learning everyday social language as they learn subject-specific vocabulary. As educators, it is important that we create opportunities for students to “stretch” their linguistic abilities so they build language skills for academic success.

What does it mean to help Students “Stretch” Language?

Stretching language, as Pauline Gibbons points out in her book, Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning, is all about compelling students to step beyond their linguistic comfort zones. It is an essential element for teaching ELLs in the mainstream classroom: pushing students into their zone of proximal development, and encouraging to take risks with words.

We can start by “front loading” new words and phrases when we start a lesson or unit of study. It is important not to overwhelm students too much with too many new words at once. Personally, I find that 2-3 words is great for elementary students including ELLs.

One great way to introduce new words is to use a strategy like picture word inductive model. This might involve projecting a detailed image related to the content on a white board and getting students involved in labelling it, and adding more “academic” versions of more commonly used words. For example, imagine a picture of a tractor plowing through a field of wheat. Students might come up with words like “tractor,” or “crops,” and the teacher might bring in words like “agriculture” or “commercial farming”.

You might also encourage students to notice new vocabulary in a video, information text, or article. Capture those words on a word wall or chart paper. Point out any morphological elements, like prefixes or suffixes to help students create meaning.Next is the fun part – getting students to use the new words in conversation.

“Strive for Five” Conversations: a Strategy for Stretching Language

One resource that explains how to stretch language effectively is Strive for Five Conversations, by Tricia A. Zucker and Sonia Q. Cabell. In this book, the authors focus on how oral comprehension and speaking skills support reading and language acquisition. How? For most people, talking and interacting in a target language is essential to learning how to read and communicate with it. Through hearing words and connecting their sounds with contextual meaning, we learn language. And in the case of English, once those sounds and meanings are learned, we can map them on to alphabetic code.

How does Strive-for-Five work?

Strive for five is a 5-turn conversation a teacher would have with a student while they are engaging in learning tasks, independently or in small groups.

1. Teacher asks an open-ended question
2. Student responds
3. Teacher responds with an upward or downward scaffold depending on whether they need a challenge or support.
4. Student responds
5. Teacher expands, and may incorporate academic vocabulary to help the student build their ability to understand and use more content-specific language.

Of course, there are a number of directions these conversations can go, and the authors do an amazing job of unpacking different scenarios. The main takeaway is that these simple conversations are a high impact way of getting students to stretch their academic language through meaningful talk. The book contains easy to reference scaffolding charts, plus examples of Strive for Five conversations in different contexts.

For example, classroom teacher might have important vocabulary listed on a word wall in the classroom. A sample conversation with an MLL about the water cycle might sound like this.

Teacher: What is happening in that picture? (points at graphic of the water cycle in a student science resource).

Student: The water is drying up, then it makes a cloud.

Teacher: Oh – I see what you mean, it is evaporating. That’s the word for drying in the water cycle. And then the condensation forms a cloud. And then what happens?

Student: The water goes back to the earth as rain from the cloud.

Teacher: Yes! That’s also called precipitation. First there’s evaporation, then condensation, and precipitation. 

Final Thoughts

“Stretching” language is an easy-to-implement instructional strategy that complements content based instruction for elementary learners, and will support students’ abilities to read and understand texts with increasing amounts of academic language. Using strategies like PWIM and Strive for Five can support ELLs as they work to acquire academic vocabulary as they learn English.