Category: General

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.

I love when ETFO releases their heritage month posters.  They are such a valuable resource that teachers can use all year long and not just during heritage months. Annually, ETFO releases heritage month posters for Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, and Jewish Heritage month. You can find the past years’ posters on the ETFO website. 

These posters are an important way to bring acknowledgement and celebration of different identities to the classroom.  You can be rest assured that the poster designs were created by artists who self-identify with that heritage and they are engaging and beautiful.  Accompanying each poster you will see background information for you, the educator, to feel confident in teaching and learning about the message of the poster.  You will also find a lesson plan or discussion prompts with some of the posters that help to guide conversations with students around the visual. Because they are posted on the ETFO website, you can project past and current posters to a screen or on a device so that you can look at all the details together. 

There are a few different strategies that I’ve used to engage with the heritage month posters.  I do suggest that you read the background information for educators to prepare for questions and guide conversations as students usually have lots to look at and ask questions about when they first see one of these designs. While I sometimes will engage in a whole class discussion or follow one of the ETFO lesson plans more closely, other times I will have an opening activity for students to engage with a few different posters. Two activities that I’ve used this year are: 

Carousel Walk

• Select a few posters to display around the room.  I’ve kept physical versions of past year’s posters, but you can display them on devices or project them onto a board. 
• Place a chart paper with each poster.  Have students circulate in small groups and with a marker or pencil, they write down anything they see on the poster or one word about how the design makes them feel. 
• Discuss and debrief their ideas together as a large group.  I always like to end with an exit card asking the students what they are inspired to learn more about from the posters. 

Think & Mingle

• When I use this strategy, I engage with one poster at a time and display it so everyone can see, whether projecting or a physical poster.  
• Each student receives a sticky note and writes down what they notice and wonder about the visual. 
• After a few minutes, ask students to stand up.  I usually play some soft music and ask them to move around the room and when the music stops they find a partner
• They share what they wrote with their partner and discuss.  It’s great when the teacher also participates in sharing ideas with a partner and really listens to what the students are noticing and wondering
• To wrap up, we create a class t-chart and to use their wonderings to guide a class inquiry

If you’re looking for resources that will spark conversation and inquiry in all grade levels, the ETFO Heritage Month posters are a perfect start.  They provide a launching point for so much rich conversation and are well researched documents that are ready and easy to use in the classroom.  

The Program Planning document on the Ministry of Education’s digital curriculum site is applicable to all curriculum documents from kindergarten to grade twelve. It includes an important part called the Transferable Skills.  This content is part of officially issued curriculum and, as educators, we are obligated to consider this information to guide the implementation of the curriculum and in creating the environment in which it is taught. 

The seven categories of transferable skills, or competencies, are: 

• critical thinking and problem solving
• innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship
• self-directed learning
• collaboration
• communication
• global citizenship and sustainability
• digital literacy

These broad competencies are designed for students to transfer skills from one subject to another.  For example, self-directed learning skills are applicable in every subject from language to math to physical education. It allows educators to think about developing skills that will be useful for students in any subject area and any grade level. When you read the document, you’ll see that each of the seven skills has a definition and student descriptors.  For example, the document’s definition for digital literacy is:

Digital literacy involves the ability to solve problems using technology in a safe, legal, and ethically responsible manner. With the ever-expanding role of digitalization and big data in the modern world, digital literacy also means having strong data literacy skills and the ability to engage with emerging technologies. Digitally literate students recognize the rights and responsibilities, as well as the opportunities, that come with living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

The first student descriptor is: 

• Students select and use appropriate digital tools to collaborate, communicate, create, innovate, and solve problems. 

These skills are intended to be learned as part of all subject areas and not in isolation.  They are developed through student engagement in practice and in explicit teaching and learning methods.  In planning, this means that we should be considering how we can integrate digital literacy into our teaching, how students can engage in becoming digitally literate, and understand their responsibilities as digital citizens.

Students always seem to be ahead of me in areas of technology; they have more time to consume media, information, and to develop confidence in using tech.  However, when I think about Digital Literacy in respect to the curriculum documents, I recognize that it isn’t just the confident ability to navigate websites and use new technology.  The student descriptors actually lend themselves toward understanding and analysing HOW they use digital tools to enhance their learning. Being able to select the best digital tool to help them learn, critically looking at data, and even understanding how to manage their own digital footprint look differently at every grade level.  

As you look through the curriculum documents, you will also notice that the overall expectations will specifically link to the transferable skill or skills that can be developed through those expectations.  For example, in grade seven language, overall expectations D2 (Creating Texts) and D3 (Publishing, Presenting, Reflecting) both tag Digital Literacy as a competency students should be developing through these expectations. 

How does this inform my educator lens and decisions in the classroom?  I think it looks like decisions that I am making with students, for example including them in the decision to use different digital tools for communication.  Every student I’ve taught loves to create a slide deck, but that isn’t always the easiest way for students to collaborate on a project or to communicate information.  Maybe it’s having whole class conversations to categorize the purpose of different digital tools, e.g., a recorded news report vs a slide deck vs a canva poster. 

As I spend time reading through all of the new curriculum documents, I am finding myself thinking more and more about how students learn and getting curious about how to shape and plan learning experiences that explicitly engage in developing these transferable skills.  Even as the teacher in the room, there’s always so much to learn! 

This year I have been a supply teacher in a particular class a few times so I have built a rapport with the students. On one visit, a student I’ll call Jenna opened up about how she was feeling. Recently her family’s apartment, along with several others, was destroyed by a fire. Jenna went to stay with extended family while her mother stayed in a local hotel and worked with relief agencies to find new housing and get reestablished. They lost absolutely everything they owned in the fire.

The family was relieved to move into a new apartment fairly quickly but Jenna was having difficulty adjusting.

On the day I was supply teaching in her class, 7 year old Jenna got overwhelmed several times and was not able to self-regulate. She was tired from the long walk from her new apartment. She was hungry. She missed her favourite stuffed animal. She had no paper at home to draw pictures because all of mommy’s paper got burned in the fire. Her classmates and I listened and consoled her in these moments but she summed it all up by tearfully saying:

“I’ve learned that sometimes life gives you changes and you have to get used to a new situation very fast. Like what the fire did to me and my family.”

Wise words from the heart of a seven year old. Jenna has had to deal with an enormous change in a short amount of time. She is grieving the loss of her home and belongings but also has feelings of relief that her family members survived and they were able to reunite in their new home. It’s quite an emotional roller coaster to ride. No wonder she was experiencing difficulty with self-regulation.

This experience got me thinking more deeply about trauma informed practices in classrooms. Every child has a story and some of those stories include trauma. We see different types of trauma such as losing a home, the unexpected death of a loved one, a car accident, bullying, and many more, including traumas we will never know about. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have safe learning environments where children know they are protected from physical and emotional harm. A classroom teacher will not know all the details about everyone in their class but they can work to ensure the classroom is a safe place for all.

The students aren’t the only ones who are impacted by life’s tragic moments. It’s very important that teachers recognize those times when they need to seek out their peers or professionals to help them through difficult times. We can’t serve from an empty cup, and neither can our students.

Take care,

Brenda

In the beginning of my teaching, I believed that my job was to impart knowledge, to fill my students with the facts and information they needed to succeed. But over the years, I’ve come to realize that my most powerful tool is not the answers I give—it’s the questions I ask.

I remember a particular lesson on ecosystems with my Grade 4 class. We had spent the week learning about different habitats and the various plants and animals that live in them. I had prepared a quiz to assess their understanding, filled with straightforward questions like, “What is the main predator in a forest ecosystem?” and “Name three plants found in a desert.” The quiz went as expected. Most students did well, but the energy and excitement in the room was flat. It was clear that my students were just going through the motions.

Feeling like I had let my class down a bit, I began to reflect on what I could change to better engage my students. This moment sparked a memory from my early days of teaching kindergarten—a time when I skillfully used questions to promote deeper, more meaningful conversations. Inspired by this recollection, I went on a journey of research and collegial discussions, focusing on how to ask good questions. The answer to my inquiry was; open-ended questions.

Here is what I learned. Regardless of which subject, there are a few requirements that make a good open-ended question.  

1. A good open-ended question should encourage a detailed, thoughtful response, rather than a yes or no answer.
2. It should allow individuals to draw from personal experiences and knowledge, validating their diverse perspectives.
3. It often starts with words like how, why or what.
4. It should be neutral and avoid suggesting any specific answer. 

I then decided to try something different the next day. Instead of giving my students more facts, I asked them an open-ended question: “What do you think would happen if we introduced a new species into this ecosystem?” The response was immediate. Hands went up, and the room buzzed with excitement. Students began to think critically, imagining the consequences of their hypothetical scenarios. Some suggested that a new predator might disrupt the food chain, while others argued that it could balance an overpopulated species. The discussion was much livelier, and I could see the gears turning in their minds. We then took our learning outdoors and played games to reenact possible scenarios. In the process, I asked more open ended-questions and the discussions became more interactive. Some questions I asked were:

1. How might the existing animals adapt to the presence of this new species?
2. What changes do you think we might see in the plant life of this ecosystem?
3. If you were in charge of protecting this ecosystem, what steps would you take?
4. How do you think human activities might influence the success or failure of this new species?

These questions sparked even more thoughtful discussions, encouraging students to apply their knowledge, make connections, and think critically about the complex interactions within ecosystems.

This experience taught me that there is something very satisfying about asking questions that have multiple answers.  It does more than just assess knowledge; it sparks curiosity and creativity, it encourages students to think deeply and explore possibilities and feel valued in their diverse perspective. It’s not about getting to the right answer, but about the process of thinking, questioning, and discovering. And that, for me, was a beautiful thing to witness.

Over the years, I’ve made it a point to incorporate more open-ended questions into my teaching. Whether it’s in a science lesson, a language discussion, or even math. Asking good questions push students to move beyond surface-level understanding and engage with the material on a deeper level.

So, to my fellow educators, I ask: How often do you ask open-ended questions in your classroom? What happens when you give your students the freedom to explore without the pressure of finding the right answer? Consider the possibilities that can unfold when we shift from simply imparting knowledge to guiding our students in their own discovery process. What questions might you ask today to open up a world of possibilities for your students?

What do science and art have in common? Plenty! The achievement chart for the Ontario grade 1-8 Science curriculum is very similar to the achievement chart for the Arts. Both of these areas of the curriculum allow for curiosity and experimentation. Planning summative assessments that use critical and creative thinking are a fantastic way to bring these subjects together in a way that makes learning feel like a celebration.

When integrating science and art there is also a great opportunity to explore the worldview of Indigenous peoples and learn about two-eyed seeing. We can invite a guest to share arts and crafts and explore the relationship between science and art. For example, I have a beautiful talking stick created with guidance from a Métis artist. During the process she taught us about the important role of water and the gifts of the earth. On another occasion, my students painted stones that were added to a memorial at a First Nation school with teachings about mother earth and the impact of residential schools on generations of Indigenous children.

Here are some suggestions for science lessons using different mediums in art.

Draw, Sketch, Paint

Whether it’s pencil, charcoal, watercolour, acrylic or pastels, there are opportunities in every science unit to create scenes and/or diagrams of the subjects we study. Painting trees in every season, making a pastel scene of a habitat with animal silhouettes cut out and glued on top, or doing a star filled sky with planets and comets. These materials are the most common in our schools and you just need some paper or sketchbooks to get started. One of my favourite things about sketching is you can easily do this outside!

Sculpt

One memorable lesson I’ve done a few times is to create sculptures using cardboard in grade 3 science. We used plenty of masking tape and learned about creating a sturdy, solid base. Then students were able to paint their creations as well. Castles, towers, hockey arenas and more have been created this way. We have also used plasticine in a CD case, with inspiration for author/illustrator Barbara Reid to do studies of natural phenomena like clouds, flowers and planets. Sculpting with air-dry modelling clay is another wonderful medium to use. Creating a diorama can use a variety of materials together to demonstrate learning. Using natural materials to create designs and models gives us more reasons to get those kids outside to build a positive relationship with the environment.

Digital Art

Going back quite a few years we got permission to use Minecraft education and grade 7 students created a digital model of the school yard with the design of the new outdoor classroom included. The students did an amazing job and added in all kinds of details of wildlife, plants and playground equipment. We have used more basic software like Paint and Kidpix (that should be nostalgic for you teachers who were in elementary school in the early 2000’s!). Whatever drawing software is available, there will be students who absolutely love it.

Photography

This is another favourite medium for getting kids outdoors to make scientific observations. Whether you are comparing types of leaves, soil, rocks or habitats, a picture is worth a thousand words. Based on some past experiences, I do recommend putting some limits on the number of photos allowed! Putting the photos into a slide deck makes it easy to share the work with each other.

Multimedia and more

Combining mediums to create brings so much fun and higher order thinking into play. Could we create art that also incorporates electrical circuits? Could we paint paper mache planets in a solar system model? How about a mural or a collage that explores the impact humans are having on the natural environment?

Famous Artists who Study Science

We are not alone integrating science and art. Our students may be interested in learning about artists who also contributed to the world of science including: Leonardo Da Vinci, Beatrix Potter, James Audubon, and Frederick Banting.

Make a Day of It!

If our schedule allows, it’s always exciting to dedicate a day to a culminating task and have it completed in time for an art/science show for other students to view. We can integrate more learning by writing advertisements for the show and consider adding peer evaluation to the assessment.

Happy Creating!

Brenda

*Photo credits: B. MacNaughton

I am a self-proclaimed avid reader.  During summer holidays, I can’t wait to get to the local library and pick up a stack of books.  Spring break?  I’ve already got a hold of the Canada Reads list to make my way through.  I do love a great story. 

It’s funny how stories can take on different meanings for me throughout my life.  As I’ve heard, then read, then re-told the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, I notice that it has taken on different meanings for me.  As a child, I felt like this was a serious warning: respect others’ privacy and property, be careful when you’re out alone.  As an adult, I thought about Goldilocks as a curious child getting into mischief. And as of late, I’ve learned of interpretations that compare the story to gentrification and colonization.  In all the ways I have thought of this story over the years, I’ve found it interesting to revisit, to turn it over in my mind, and consider different messages. 

As an educator, I think of Goldilocks’ story as a metaphor for the way children try different things to discover what they like and don’t like. Those famous phrases, “This porridge is too hot!  This porridge is too cold!  This porridge is just right!” are the ways I hear children moving through the world.  I hear them trying on clothing, activities, identity, and yes, even the ways they figure out what they like about school. 

Building a love of reading in students can look like this as well; trying out many different stories and authors.  Reading a variety of genres helps students to know what they like best: mysteries, drama, science fiction, comedy, non-fiction, etc.  There’s also different forms of writing: poetry, prose, verse, graphic novels, and more.  There are so many more options for children to explore and love than I had when I was a student. Libraries have a beautiful, wide selection for students and learning how to navigate that space can expose them to many different worlds. 

I used to be a real stickler for reading the entire story.  For myself, I used to insist on reading a book right to the end – even when I didn’t fully enjoy it, I powered my way through every page.  My perspectives have now changed; life is too short to spend reading books that don’t resonate with me.  I might try a ‘bite’ of a chapter or two and then decide it’s too wordy, the setting isn’t quite right, the pacing feels uncomfortable.  It’s just not for me.  And, like Goldilocks, I am giving myself permission to put it down and try something else. 

Extending this invitation to students also gives them the opportunity to think about themselves as readers. Of course, I want them to find a book they love and read it through to the end, but sometimes the book they’ve selected just isn’t the book for them.  If students aren’t finishing books they’ve self selected, that also speaks to them as a reader.  Perhaps they need to think about what they like or what style of writing works for them.  If they want to ‘take a bite’ of a book then put it down for another, a conversation may help to guide some of this self-reflection.  Using questions like:  

• What’s this book about? What made you pick it up?  
• Why isn’t this book for you? What made you change your mind about this book?
• What type of book do you think you would like to try next? 
• How can we track the types of books, authors, styles you like so you will know what to look for in the school library? 

These conversations may help to guide your discussions with students.  Taking on a curious stance means that it’s less about students feeling like they are wrong for not finishing their book and more about how we care about helping them find the right fit book for them.  When the educator takes on a guiding role, mentoring students from a position of care, we are developing relationships. Instead of telling them what kind of reader they should be, we are helping them to learn more about themselves and what kind of reader they are. 

What makes Goldilocks and the Three Bears interesting is that there is no wrapped up happy ending, like in other fables.  We don’t know what happens to Goldilocks as she is “never seen again” at the end of the story.  I wonder where she went and if she told anyone what she saw or did. If I could rewrite this ending from my educator lens, I’d love it if the surprised bears taught Goldilocks how to make porridge and build furniture she thought was best. Goldilocks would learn these skills from the bears, perhaps even sharing some skills and knowledge of her own that the bears could use in their cottage.  And both of them would learn that there are many different ways to be ‘just right’.  

 

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.