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Maya’s* pencil moved quickly across her math sheet, jotting down neat and accurate answers at break-neck speed. She was a STEP 1, new-to-English multilingual language learner, and from the moment she walked into class her skills and talents were apparent. She took in everything with bright, inquisitive energy. In no time she was reading simple English sentences. She especially loved math and demonstrated obvious mastery of the concepts explored in class. And she was picking up more and more English every day, using first language to translate and clarify unfamiliar words. Watching her tackle a class worksheet like this math one was like watching a symphony orchestra in full glory … reading, translating, writing, calculating, solving … all of it coming together in intricate interaction to demonstrate learning beautifully.

Until her pencil came to a scratching halt.

I followed her gaze down to the math sheet. It was a word problem. Fractions. Should be a breeze for her, she was light years ahead in this area of math. But her pencil remained frozen on the spot. She simply stared, and then slowly read out loud, “The pizza was eaten by 3 people…”  She looked up at me. “I know ‘eat’, but I don’t know  ‘was eaten’.”

And that, right there in a single sentence, is the difference between social English (the English we hear every day in conversation) and academic English (the English that we see in textbooks and worksheets).¹

What stumped Maya in that question is a grammar construct called the passive voice. It is almost never used in spoken English (some studies have found we use it in less than 3% of conversational verbs) but it comprises a significant portion of verbs used in academic texts (up to 30%).  And when I think about the kind of language I hear every day in schools, those stats check out. I am very likely to hear things in the classroom like “Tru got an A!” or “Ivan crushed the test!” Conversely, I never hear things like “The A was gotten by Tru! The test was crushed by Ivan!”

Or, the pizza was eaten by 3 people …

I remember being fascinated, back in my early ESL training, learning why and when we use the active and passive voice. As my instructor noted, we use the active voice in conversation because it is shorter, direct, easier to say and understand on the fly, and tends to be used when the person doing the action is in the spotlight, as opposed to the actual verb or action being performed. “Tru got an A! Ivan crushed the test!” (Yay Tru! Yay Ivan!). But in academic texts, “who” did something is often less important. Take history texts for example. Do we say “John Smith and his construction crew completed the CN Tower in 1975”… or do we say, “The CN Tower was completed in 1975.” We use the latter, because the important thing in that sentence, historically speaking, is what happened (the completion of the CN Tower) and not who did it (sorry John and all your crew, no yays for you today). History is a prolific user of the passive voice, but science is another rascal in that regard: “The water was heated to 100 degrees.”  “DNA was extracted from the cells.” “The current was measured every 10 seconds.” When helping MLLs understand their science work, what I wouldn’t give for the occasional “Mia heated the water. Hong measured the current.”  And by the way, when I scanned further down the page on Maya’s math worksheet, the next four word problems all incorporated the passive voice.

This brings me back to a critical point about language acquisition in the classroom: we cannot rely on MLLs to “soak up” the language around them, eventually acquiring fluency through some mysterious unseen process we don’t have anything to do with. How can they “soak up” and learn grammar constructs such as the passive voice when they rarely even hear them in day-to-day conversation? Unless a teacher specifically points it out in a text, what it looks like, and why it’s used…well. MLLs are going to be at a distinct disadvantage for reading comprehension and academic success.

The passive voice is just one aspect of academic language that MLLs may need explicit, intentional support to learn. In my next blog entry, I will explore some resources that help teachers isolate this vocabulary and grammar, along with related teaching strategies. But until then, as a good old fashioned worksheet might phrase it, this blog was written, the words were read, and I hope it was enjoyed by you.

 

[1] Professor Jim Cummins introduced and explored this distinction through his framework of BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) and CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency), and it is detailed across his research and many publications on second language acquisition.

*names have been changed

One might assume that educators teaching for a long time know a lot, and they do to an extent. I’d say new educators also know a lot and are learning to trust that they do. It’s important to remember that as lifelong learners, there is always something new. I always say, “You learn something new each day,” and that has been true for me since day 1. It could be about you as an individual, your practice or even about a learner. You just have to be open to it and take the time to reflect.

I remember being in the faculty of education and thinking that I despised the word ‘reflection’ after hearing and practicing it so many times throughout the year. What I would soon realize, as a new educator, is how central reflection would be in my professional learning journey. Taking the time to reflect has helped me to understand my teaching practice better and the choices, approaches and strategies I implement in relation to the learners in class. 

One thing I have learned since the faculty is that self-reflection is important, but having a reflective, critical partner is needed even more. We so often as educators get into our silos or islands, even though we have a wealth of the school community around us. Sometimes we forget that our lived experiences bring in different perspectives and insight, and that includes from learners, too. 

We all need that critical friend. It’s vital to our growth and areas of growth as individuals and professionals.

It’s great to have a few mentors who can be that critical friend. That the co-critical friend can be someone who is new to teaching, too. My dear friend and I met in faculty together and shared our highs, lows and wonderings as new educators. We navigated beginning educator life together.

When writing this blog and thinking about resources about critical thinking partners, I referred to the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, which has references to the non-profit organization, The Critical Thinking Consortium (TC²), and speaking of reflections and learning something new, here is some insight I have learned.

• There are different thinking habits and critically minded and relationally are the two that stood out. 

As defined by TC²:

Critically minded

The practice of engaging with information, perspectives, and experiences through reasoned analysis, questioning assumptions, and assessing evidence with clarity and care

Thinking relationally

A way of understanding the world that sees interconnections, relationships, and systems as central to ethical decision-making and meaningful change

The two thinking habits are connected and help to make those meaningful shifts in practice, approaches and strategies to support learners. Both these habits need others to provide perspectives. True reflection is with that critically minded partner that you can discuss, agree-to-disagree, return back to with new knowledge and insight. They are the people who can then help us to make those relationally interconnections, decisions and changes. 

Teaching is relational. We build positive relationships to make connections to teach curriculum. Learners are not just students in our classes, they’re humans developing, evolving, growing, trying to navigate this world called school, just like their educators. 

Build relationships. Get critical, and dare I say it, reflect. Reflect critically and relationally together, and throughout it all, remember to give yourself grace in this ever revolving learning journey.

Thinking about it, ETFO Voice, the digital magazine of our union, has always provided an opportunity for ETFO members to do just that, reflect critically and share. Share your journey, it can help another educator.

Celebration

Before we talk about celebrations, let’s break it down into its morphemes.

Base word – celebrate: to honour

suffix -ion  : the act of   (adding -ion turns an action to a noun)

celebration : the act of celebrating

By explicitly teaching morphemes in words, you are giving your students a skills to read multisyllabic words, signals parts of speech and builds vocabulary.

Now back to our topic, celebrations. One way to build relationships and sense of belonging in schools is through having celebrations. There are some such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day, although many schools find that they are not representative of their populations. There are cultural celebrations where we can celebrate diversity and multiculturalism. As we head into winter months, there are many celebrations revolving celebrating with lights. Some Festival of Lights celebrations include Winter Solstice, Diwali,  Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Schools sometimes have spirit days to build staff and students morale and school pride. Creating a sense of belonging helps students build self esteem because aspect of their identity is being recognized.

I do recognize some schools or groups of students do not celebrate for reasons I respect. I want to share one way we can create a sense of community by celebrating and acknowledging students.

In my classroom, birthdays are celebrated. I post student’s names and birthdates on a poster and I am intentional in acknowledging birthdays either by writing a card or singing Happy Birthday.

I celebrated my birthday at school a few weeks ago. I wore a birthday hat and walked down the halls and students from all grades shouted, “Happy Birthday!” to me. As I was doing supervision in two classrooms, each class sang Happy Birthday to me. The song brings smiles to faces and especially mine. They ask me how old I am and often I say an outrageous number like 101. I joke with them and realize this small connection is what builds a school community. When you share a bit about yourself as a teacher to your students, you make connections. Fostering relationships is incredibly meaningful although as educators we must be mindful of professional boundaries and not share information that is too personal. That being said, celebrating a student by recognizing their birthday might seem like a small gesture but it can make someone’s day.

And when it comes to making someone’s day, one doesn’t need to have a birthday to do something. There are random acts of kindness you can do as a teacher for your colleagues and students. Say a compliment, acknowledge a student’s efforts, notice what they like or dislike. Take the time to make the connections and it would make your ‘work’ day a more positive one.

“Spread kindness around like confetti”

“Play-based learning allows students to learn while at play. The continuum of play-based learning varies based on the learning goals, ranging from student-directed play, to guided play, to educator directed play.”  Ontario Ministry of Education, The Kindergarten Curriculum (2026)

One of the things I love most about teaching Kindergarten is the focus on play-based learning. When I taught Kindergarten, I always told students and their families: play is work. When students are playing, they’re learning in so many areas: problem solving, creative thinking, social skills, emotional awareness. They learn to think for themselves, understand their own feelings, and recognize the feelings of those around them. Through play, they learn to respect differences, build relationships, and grow socially and emotionally.

Play-based learning also helps students think critically and develop a strong foundation in literacy and math. It supports making connections, contributing to their learning community, and exploring the natural world.

Consider checking out Professional Learning in Early Years for bite size videos, podcasts, chats and resources to support your Kindergarten classroom.

Even when I’m not teaching Kindergarten, I find ways to include play. I think all kids need to play — and honestly, adults do too.  This year I am teaching in a Learning Center. This learning space is focused on literacy and math intervention as well as supporting self-regulation.

As I reflect on different types of play in Kindergarten, I think about how I would adapt it into the learning center.

Different types of play

Dramatic play

This is my favourite area to set up. I love how kids interact in a house center, often playing “family.” I include baby dolls with different skin tones and dishes and utensils from different cultures. I’ve also seen dramatic play centers become restaurants, stores, and gardens. In the learning center I can include drama games including role play and puppets to teach lessons.

Sensory play

Some students gravitate to sensory centers like sand, water, and play dough. I’ve added a marble run to water and watched kids explore cause and effect. The next week, the marble run can go in the sand with cars and diggers, and suddenly the play shifts again. In the learning center, I have a basket of sensory items for students to use to help them regulate and focus. As I get to know my students I learn what they gravitate to and ensure they get their sensory break.

Cooperative play

This type of play often includes an educator modeling how to cooperate. Games that involve taking turns or building something together help students learn how to share, take the lead, and listen to different ideas. In the learning center, I can use math and word games to help me continue to teach these important life skills.

Constructive play

In Kindergarten, I have bins of building tools like blocks, Lego, straws, and more. Sometimes students play independently, and sometimes they play side by side in parallel play. There are also moments when students work together to build and create. The art center also promotes creativity with coloring tools, scissors, stickers, and other materials. Currently, I still put out a bin of Lego and see what students would create.

Rule-based play

This type of play is often guided by an educator. Games like Simon Says and What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? are great for practicing listening skills and following instructions. Musical Chairs is always a class favourite. These games can be played in the classroom, the gym, or outside. I also play classic games like 7-up and Four Corners.

How Play Shifts in Older Grades

As students get older, play doesn’t disappear, it just changes. Consider cross-curricular and integrated learning. Bring STEM into your classroom. STEM integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and many educators include the arts to make STEAM learning happen.

Teach Oral Language Skills Through Drama and Play

Oral language skills are important across all grades, especially for students with differnet learner profiles and multilingual language learners. Drama games give students a low-risk, safe space to practice speaking and listening. This can happen through role play or dramatic play.

Try This Story Activity

Sit in a circle and begin with a story prompt. Each student adds a detail to continue the story.

Turn this into a writing activity using a fold-over story activity

• Each student gets a sheet of paper.
• They follow the prompt and write down their idea(s)
• They fold the paper, so the next student can’t see what was written and pass it on
• Pass the paper around the room until all prompts are complete.
  • Who? Where? What? Why? (optional ‘with who?’)
• Unfold the paper and read the story. Watch and listen for the giggles and laugh along with them because your students are learning and playing.

I hope you find moments to play throughout your day and have fun in your learning space.

 

During the second week of school, I had several former students return to visit me at the middle school where I work and where I taught them during the previous year. I was happy to see all of them and hear about their new experiences as grade 9 secondary students. However, a visit with one student resonated with me most because of the comments she shared regarding the way my lessons and instructions positively impacted her learning.

During our visit, we had a pleasant conversation where she shared some of the joys and challenges of being in secondary school that related to making new friends, finding the location of her classes, and managing her course load. Remembering that she was an avid reader and working towards writing her first novel while in grade 8, I asked if she still found time to read material of interest beyond assigned course readings and if she was still working on her novel. She shared that unfortunately she had little time for either, due to the demands of her courses. She then listed her courses and said that she was happy to be taking English during her first term because it gave her an opportunity to read novels and write about them.

She went on to say that she has been receiving positive feedback from her English teacher regarding the structure and quality of her writing. She then told me that part of the reason she chose to visit was to thank me for helping her to become a better writer. She said that before being in my language class she felt that her writing was disorganized and that I really taught her how to organize and communicate her written ideas. Her comments brought me immense joy because they provided clear insight to my lessons and instructions impacted her learning.

While I was thankful to hear that the work I did with this student had a positive impact on her learning, I know that even if she did not share her comments, I would continue striving to facilitate a classroom program that positively impacts student learning. Her comments helped me to understand that even after 16 years of teaching, hearing that I helped a student further develop their literacy skills is immensely rewarding. I share this story because I know that there are numerous other educators across the province doing remarkable work with students and that work is positively impacting their learning. I hope that they too know, whether you hear it from a student or not, the work you do matters.

When conversations arise about MLLs the early years, there are a few curious, skeptical questions that often come up.

Why does it matter if a student is multilingual in Kindergarten?

Aren’t all students the same in Kindergarten when it comes to language and literacy development?

Why bother figuring out who the MLLs are when there won’t be any support?

I don’t believe there is any reason to delay providing program support for MLLs at any age. If a student is learning English for the first time, even in the Kindergarten years, it helps educators to know the learner better, which is essential for understanding their language and literacy development and how we might support their growth. In this post, we will take a closer look at why educators should consider recognizing MLLs in Kindergarten. Next, we will take a look at what tools we can use to support English language acquisition for some of our youngest learners.

1. Students from Multilingual Homes May have a Completely Different Oral Language Foundation from their Peers

I have a friend who shared with me that they were born in Canada, but spent most of their time at home with a grandparent that spoke Chinese. Her parents also spoke Chinese at home. When she arrived in school, it was her first experience with English. “I didn’t know what was going on,” she shared.

It is not uncommon for students to arrive in school without any prior exposure to English whether they are born in Canada or not. And as educators, it is important to encourage and honour home languages because multilingualism is an asset and critical cultural fund of knowledge that serves many important purposes.

When educators know that a student is arriving with a different language foundation from their English-speaking peers, it puts the student’s oral language development into context. Oral language is a key indicator of success in reading, so knowing who the MLLs are in the classroom would signal that a student might need more support in building their comprehension of English words and sounds. The teacher might consider using gestures and pictures to communicate instructions and information in English. They might also teach essential phrases for self-advocacy and play.

2. Understanding a Student’s English Language Proficiency Supports Reading Instruction

Knowing the student’s language background also helps to contextualize data gathered from screeners. Most literacy screeners are developed with the assumption that a student already has knowledge of English vocabulary and sounds (phonemes) from exposure to the language at home. This is not to say we shouldn’t administer screeners to MLLs; rather, we should interpret those screener results from a perspective informed by an understanding of a student’s English language development.

For example, a student may perform poorly on a screener simply because they do not know what is being asked of them. The student might need additional modelling to understand exactly what they should be doing. The educator administering the screener may consider repeating parts of a screener without a timer to see what the student can do with more processing time.

Take note that MLLs are not a monolithic group – the needs of one student may vary from the next depending on their exposure to English at home, in the community, and what their home language is.

3. Creating MLL Portraits in Kindergarten Supports Learning in the Primary Grades

In my board, the typical practice has been to create MLL portraits after they have started grade 1. This has always struck me as an odd practice because becoming an MLL doesn’t suddenly happen overnight; if the student is in the process of developing their comprehension of English in grade 1, then it is quite certain they were learning English in Kindergarten.

Which brings up the question – why wait? Starting conversations with families about ESL programming adaptations sooner is better than later, especially when it happens with educators that have already built that relationship with the family and know a student’s language skills and behaviours well. So many important observations about a student’s language behaviours in English and their home language can be gathered in Kindergarten, and there is no reason to only start collecting that information in grade 1.

4. Recognizing MLLs in Kindergarten is a Curriculum-backed Practice

The latest iteration of Ontario’s Kindergarten Curriculum (2026) states, “many young students starting Kindergarten are entering a new linguistic and cultural environment, while acquiring English-language proficiency.” To provide responsive and inclusive Kindergarten programming, educators need to understand who their MLLs are, including their linguistic strengths, experiences, and learning needs. This understanding helps us to build on children’s full linguistic repertoires, partner meaningfully with families, and provide culturally responsive learning opportunities that support literacy and learning across the Kindergarten program.

Understanding our MLLs is a Culturally Responsive Practice

It’s important that educators frame the process of understanding MLLs in the Kindergarten as a culturally responsive practice that supports teaching and learning. When we acknowledge and honour the cultural funds of linguistic knowledge that our youngest learners bring when they start school, we are not noting an “English deficit”, we are building a more fulsome learner portrait that will help us to leverage teaching strategies and resources with more intention.

Accommodations, Differentiated Instruction (DI), I think we can all agree DI is hands-down indispensable. Really, what could be better than those rich and varied instructional strategies that we add to our regular teaching, to meet the diverse needs of diverse students?  It could be speech-to-text or other technology to help students with written output challenges; it could be sensory-friendly lighting or sound field systems; it could be providing alternative performance tasks to demonstrate learning, such as visual art, drama presentations, or oral assessments instead of written tests. The possibilities are endless.  But no matter which accommodation is used, it’s safe to say that these pedagogical “extras” can only be a positive thing, and one hundred percent awesome all the time. End of story.

Except for the shoehorn dilemma.

Yes, shoehorns may be great for dealing with stubborn footwear, but metaphorically speaking (when it comes to inserting pedagogical supports into our classrooms) shoehorns may not always serve us well.

The potential problem arises when DI is an afterthought. If it is only used in a reactive way, with differentiated strategies shoe-horned into established learning programs in response to a new student suddenly needing them, it can sometimes – not all the time, but sometimes – have the unintended consequence of highlighting how inequitable the original learning space actually was. There are many instances in which this may occur, but here I will use ESL as an example: if a new multilingual language learner arrives, we may hastily scramble to add dual language books, multilingual classroom labels, and translation tools…while the other students in the class wonder why they are suddenly seeing these resources in their formerly English-only zone. Yes the change is good but, in some circumstances, the very techniques that are meant to create an inclusive environment may also shine a spotlight on who the learning environment was initially and instinctively constructed for, and for whom it was not; which students’ identities were automatically included in the classroom, and whose were not; and by implication, which students may inherently belong, and which may not. You know, those “different” kids who we now have to change everything for.

So the issue becomes not whether to use DI, but how and when. And using the MLL example above, I have some wonderings. What if it were normal to see, use, and discuss the value of other languages in the classroom, regardless of whether there are any MLLs in the class? What if every classroom used multilingual resources from time to time, giving students a chance to explore new languages they are interested in, or strengthen and complement their French program, or make cross-linguistic connections between English and other languages, thus deepening their understanding of English etymology, morphology, and spelling patterns? If it is “normal” to use other languages in learning, would we really be changing the learning environment so drastically if an MLL arrived? And instead of lamenting their lack of English in English-only classrooms, might that new environment encourage us (both students and teachers alike) to view that MLL as skilled and linguistically adept, and a perfect fit for our classroom? Perhaps class introductions might move from “He can’t speak any English, let’s help him” to “She speaks three languages! She can teach us a lot”.

ESL is only one area of consideration in building learning environments for everyone, but it raises an important question for educators: how can we ensure our learning spaces are equitable and inclusive from the outset so that any student might wander in unannounced and access the lessons and learning, and find a space that reflects their identity, already waiting for them?

With woefully lacking supports and funding, it would be quite difficult to anticipate and include all the learning variations we would want in any given classroom. But there are small ways, every day, we can move towards it, such as collaborating with colleagues, sharing ideas, reaching out to Special Education teachers, ESL consultants, and other specialists may broaden our awareness of the types of learning supports that all students need.

The Frayer Model is one of my favourites. Designed by educator Dorothy Frayer and her colleagues at the University of Wisconsin in 1969, this student organizer is meant to be used in vocabulary study, with the aim of enhancing students’ understanding of words by encouraging a deepened exploration of them. Students record the word right in the middle of the planner and, in the spaces around it, list not only its definition but also its important characteristics or features, as well as examples and non-examples. Here is a basic copy of the Frayer Model planner:

Template created with Gemini AI

 

And here’s the simple, beautiful addition to the planner that builds multiple languages into your learning program: just add a space for students to write the word in another language as well. Jim Cummins and Margaret Early offer their own variation on the Frayer Model in their book Big Ideas For Expanding Minds, with a spot for “Word in Home Language” as well as slight tweaks to the surrounding quadrants (having MLLs write synonyms and antonyms in the lower left quadrant instead of examples, and simply writing a complete academic sentence using the key word in the lower right quadrant). It is a great variation for MLLs, and you can check out their thoughts on page 60 of this useful book. But classroom teachers can use the traditional model above too, for everyone in the class, by just adding a space for “word in another language” and let the multilingual learning begin! Any student could check with their French teacher, a French dictionary or a translation app to find the French equivalent of their target word. Or if they speak another language at home and already know the translation they could record it right away in home language – or better yet, ask their parent or caregiver and do a little multilingual homework together. Students who speak only English could explore a language they are interested in learning. All rich and meaningful options for everyone in the class, not just MLLs, and a simple way to embed and highlight the value of languages in the classroom.

So as we begin establishing what our learning environments look like this year, I am going to consider the diverse ways I can use DI right now, even if there is no apparent “need” as yet. And honestly, I’m always learning, always uncovering possibilities that did not naturally occur to me, simply because they are not within my lived experience. But that’s the beauty of teaching, of creating better learning environments that include everyone, isn’t it? May new and beautiful discoveries find you this year too.

 

 

References

Cummins, J., & Early, M. (2015). Big ideas for expanding minds: Teaching English language learners across the curriculum. Rubicon Press/Pearson.