Good instruction for students who are Multilingual Learners (MLL) is good instruction for all students, and vice versa.

Rethinking Labels

I’m not much for labels, but they can help us engage in conversation around effective instructional strategies. Students who are MLL do have a distinct set of needs and we need to be intentional about addressing them. It’s also important to keep in mind that a label is a tool and should not be used to level, or limit, students. 

To ground our understanding, let’s consider how WIDA defines MLL students.

“Multilingual learners are students developing proficiency in multiple languages. The term multilingual learner is truly an assets-based approach. By using the term multilingual learner, we recognize the totality of a student. We’re emphasizing what a student knows, rather than what they don’t know.” (Understanding Multilingual Learners)

Building upon prior knowledge

In this article, we’ll talk about how we can capitalize on what students already know and help bridge the gap between their prior knowledge and the skills and concepts we’re teaching. We’ll explore best practices that directly address the needs of students who are MLL and why they work.

Common strategies worth rethinking

Let’s start with a topic I talk about often: why teaching key words in word problems is a mistake and what to do instead. There’s a common misconception that teaching key words helps MLL students, but this approach actually limits their understanding by encouraging them to ignore context. If we want students to comprehend what they’re reading, strategies like multiple reads and engaging in discussion around the context are more beneficial.

In addition to discussion, another powerful strategy is having students act out story problems to enhance comprehension. This makes the concepts more concrete and relevant, and makes the math more accessible.

Strategies to support vocabulary

While understanding the context of story problems is critical, vocabulary poses an additional challenge for MLL students. It’s not always the content words that can be a barrier, but also general vocabulary. For example, a term like “apple orchard” isn’t commonly used. You’ll likely have students whose first language is English and don’t know what this word means either. Discussion and acting out are helpful strategies to tackle this.

We also need to think about mathematics-specific vocabulary. One of the reasons kids struggle with remembering terminology is there are many words we only use in math, and sometimes only in one area. Students might not hear terms for months at a time. Geometry is the perfect example for this, and why we need to be intentional with our vocabulary instruction.

There are many ways to build language-rich classrooms. Word walls are one way to embed vocabulary instruction into your daily practices. You can organize and visually display key terms. Access to these words, especially when paired with visual representations, greatly supports language development.

For students who are MLL, you want to pay attention to polysemous words, words with multiple meanings. It can be really confusing when a body part – a foot – is now also a unit of measurement. Confusing terminology, such as the use of whole (vs hole) when teaching fractions, can be easily overlooked. This is why it’s important to build risk-free, discussion-rich classrooms where misconceptions can come to light.

Fostering a discussion-rich classroom

Classroom discussions are an area where we need to be mindful of not limiting students. It feels helpful to provide translation or allow students to take a pass on engaging in discussion, but immersing kids in language is the best way for them to learn. Embedding teacher talk moves, like wait time and rephrasing, provide the support our MLL (and all) students need to effectively engage in conversation.

Tip: Use sentence stems to scaffold discussions, such as:

• “I agree with [student’s name] because…”
• “I noticed that the problem is asking us to…”
• “One question I have about this is…”

You can also implement protocols like “Think-Pair-Share” regularly, where students think individually about a math question, discuss it with a partner, and then share with the class. This strategy not only promotes language development but also boosts confidence, especially for MLL students who may need more time to process their thoughts.

Conclusion

Supporting MLLs in math goes beyond simply addressing language barriers – it’s about creating an inclusive, language-rich environment where all students have the same opportunities. By focusing on strategies that use students’ existing knowledge, promoting meaningful discussions, and using hands-on approaches like acting out problems, we can make math more accessible and engaging.

Remember, what benefits MLL students ultimately benefits everyone in the classroom. As educators, our goal is to build a space where students feel empowered to explore, question, and connect math concepts to their everyday experiences. By being intentional in our approach, we can ensure every student, regardless of their language background, has the opportunity to succeed and find joy in learning math.

Try incorporating one of these strategies in your classroom this week and observe how your students respond. Small changes can lead to meaningful impacts!