It’s not uncommon for educators to wonder how to adapt programming for emergent speakers of English. How do you engage newcomer students while teaching the curriculum to the rest of the class – most of which are already proficient or fluent users of English?
Newcomer multilingual language learners, or MLLs, face the daunting challenge of learning English while also learning the same curriculum content as their peers. As educators, we must take on the challenge of ensuring that the program is adapted appropriately for them through accommodations and modifications.
To support educators in adapting programming for MLLs, ETFO has created an easy-to-use resource that can be used to develop modifications and accommodations. You can download this resource from the ETFO website, along with other fantastic resources on topics like translanguaging and literacy screeners for MLLs.
In this 2-part blog, we will take a deeper dive into Program Adaptation for MLLs, specifically the process of determining which adaptations will best serve the needs of the MLLs in our classrooms. Part 1 will focus on understanding the importance of knowing the learner and determining the language demands of your program. Part 2 of this blog will unpack accommodations and modifications for MLLs.
Know The Learner
MLLs are not a monolithic group: they include Canadian born MLLs, long term learners of English, newcomers, or they may have missed significant amounts of formal schooling. They may come from a variety of lived experiences, such as separation from family members, trauma, or live in communities in Canada where a language other than English is spoken.
Part of knowing the MLLs you teach is also understanding their language and literacy skills in English and the other languages they speak. In Ontario, English language proficiency levels are identified using the Steps to English Language Proficiency continua, which contains a detailed continuum of observable language behaviours that will enable you to understand where they are in terms of their English learning.
It is also useful to know if the MLLs you teach have writing and reading skills in another language. Being able to leverage those literacy skills is an easy way to create an entry point to the curriculum: if you can provide them with translated content, then they can continue building critical language skills that will be transferred as they learn and acquire English.
There are many other elements that make MLLs unique, so it is important to gather information from conversations with students and their families, or from an initial assessment report if one is available.
How does knowing the learner impact programming?
Imagine you have a grade 7 student who has never attended school until their arrival in your school. As such, they will need a significantly modified curriculum where they can build foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
Or perhaps you have a student that arrives in grade 4 with strong reading and math skills from their education in their previous country of residence. They will benefit from strategies like translanguaging and opportunities to read level appropriate texts in their preferred language so they can continue building their cognitive skills.
Knowing the goals, interests, and backgrounds of students will also enable you to be culturally responsive in your teaching practice and foster strong relationships with the student and their family. Some fun ways to gather this information include the creation of “identity texts”, like poems or art projects, multi-modal journaling, or student surveys and interviews.
Determine the Language Demands of the Program
The next step of adapting instruction involves examining your program critically to determine its language demands. Some key questions to ask include:
- Does my teaching incorporate multiple entry points into content, such as video, illustrations, audio, or opportunities for experiential learning?
- Am I offering students multiple ways to demonstrate their learning, such as oral presentations, recordings, or visuals?
- Do I intentionally use Universal Design for Learning strategies?
- Do I have a clearly articulated language policy where MLLs know they can leverage the entire repertoire of their language skills (ex. Home or preferred languages)?
- What am I doing to make curriculum content comprehensible to students with different levels of language proficiency?
- Am I explicitly teaching academic language skills and do students have opportunities to practice using unfamiliar, subject-specific vocabulary?
The most important takeaway here is that program adaptation requires an understanding of the language skills students need to engage with the programming you have developed for the students you teach. You will want to look for opportunities to tweak and enhance your programming so emergent speakers of English can participate alongside their peers.
Looking Ahead: Accommodations and Modifications
With a clear understanding of the MLLs you teach and the language demands of the programming you have developed, you are well-positioned to create and implement the appropriate accommodations and modifications for MLLs. We will go into more detail in part 2 of this blog.
