Dr. Seong-shin Kim is department chair for the Teaching Students of Other Languages (TESOL) program at Touro University Graduate School of Education (GSE), and one of her favorite aspects of working with multilingual learners (MLs) is the diversity of the students. “I love the field of multilingual learning,” she enthuses. “You don’t have to travel to see the world—you have the world right there in your classroom!”

She also appreciates the power she has to make a difference in her students’ lives. “Teachers can have a lot of impact on students – almost as much as YouTube!” she laughs. “Students take teachers’ words to heart, and one kind word from a teacher can change a student’s life. Plus, we get to help students uncover their goals and then give them the tools to achieve those goals.”

Taking an open-minded and empathetic approach is just one of the ways she connects with her students and sets them up for success. Keep reading to find even more of the research-proven strategies that Dr. Kim recommends for supporting multilingual learners.

1. Support multilingual learners by setting clear, actionable objectives

According to Dr. Kim, one of the most crucial aspects of teaching multilingual learners begins long before a teacher ever sets foot in the classroom. “To even start lesson planning, teachers need to think about learning objectives—and for multilingual learners, there are two goals.”

The first goal is the same one that applies to all students: Identify the content objective, or what the student should learn from the lesson. Then, for ML learners, teachers also need to consider the language objective—or how they’ll teach the English language in a way that will achieve the content goal. Both goals need to be measurable and to clearly show students exactly what they’re expected to accomplish with the lesson, such as “Generate five sentences about birds.”

“Teachers sometimes complain about this and don’t think it’s necessary, but for MLs, it can be a lifesaver,” Dr. Kim stresses. She explains that when a person hears a foreign language, their brain grasps for any words they recognize and then builds context around those words, which often gives them the totally wrong idea. “The objective tells a student what the lesson will be about and gives them permission to disregard the small things that are unrelated.”

2. Give multilingual learners the same baseline by building background

Another component that helps to put multilingual learners in a position to succeed is known as “building background.” To explain it, Dr. Kim offers the analogy of taking your car to a mechanic. If you don’t know much about cars and the mechanic starts throwing around a bunch of technical terms, there’s a good chance you’ll get overwhelmed—and you may even shut down and just ask for your bill.

However, if the mechanic takes a minute to explain what’s happening in plain language, you can build a baseline understanding so you can get a rough idea of what’s happening with your car. That’s exactly what building background does of ML students. “We have to help students to become ready to accept new knowledge,” Dr. Kim says, “and for that, they need baseline knowledge.”

Building background is particularly necessary for multilingual students. While American children generally have similar cultural experiences and contextual knowledge, many students from other countries have had vastly different experiences and opportunities to learn. Even if they’re the same age or grade level, they most likely will not all have the same baseline understanding.

When it comes to building background, Dr. Kim recommends an activity called the “vocabulary quilt.” Children are broken into small groups, and each group receives a paper “quilt” that has one vocabulary word written on each square. Each child receives a different colored pen, and they’re asked to write everything they know about each vocabulary word on its designated square.

The beauty of this subtle assessment is that it allows a teacher to figure out what each student knows without causing any embarrassment. Simply by matching the color of the writing to each student’s pen, a teacher can see who knows what and who needs a little more explanation. As a bonus, students also learn from each other as they watch and read what their peers are writing on the quilt, further building their baseline.

3. Focus on providing comprehensible input to enable multilingual understanding

While teachers are generally confident in their ability to effectively explain information, there is a caveat: That capability only applies to students who have the same background and beliefs or the same way of thinking. Since ML students bring a unique diversity—in backgrounds, beliefs, and cognitive style—teachers may have more success by focusing on comprehensible input.

Comprehensible input is simply finding ways to make information understandable to a diverse audience. That could mean incorporating images or YouTube videos into lessons or giving students ways to show what they know without language, like creating a portfolio or a drawing. Teachers can also provide opportunities for peer interaction, since students often feel more comfortable talking to their friends—who can explain concepts or instructions at their own level.

Additionally, Dr. Kim points out how teachers may need to adjust their teaching styles or make allowances as students adjust to American learning, sharing her own story coming to the US for graduate school as an example. In her home country of Korea, learning primarily happened by rote memorization, but in the US, her assignments required much more creativity. “My teacher let me look at other students’ work to understand what needed to be done, and I’d turn in the assignment a week later,” she recalls.

Finally, Dr. Kim offers tried-and-true suggestions like avoiding idioms and watching the rate of speech. “When you encounter a native speaker, they speak so fast!” she exclaims. Scaffolding, which Dr. Kim describes as “I do, we do, you do,” can also be an effective technique for comprehensible input and building independence.

4. Embrace empathy and give multilingual learners the benefit of the doubt

While many students feel nervous or self-conscious in the classroom, Dr. Kim notes that multilingual learners are particularly vulnerable. “They have an accent, they have incorrect pronunciation, they confuse words, they’re afraid to say something wrong, and they feel very embarrassed,” she expounds.

Because of this, she suggests teachers take care to approach these students with empathy and compassion, use subtle assessments like the vocabulary quilt, and be mindful not to embarrass them in front of their peers. “Loud correction creates a barrier between a teacher and a student, and after it goes up, no more learning will happen,” she stresses.  “Being subtle is key for working with multilingual learners.”

Another recommendation from Dr. Kim: “When you teach MLs, put down your suspicion that they’re trying to cheat or get away with something.” She points out that trying to write an answer in their own words can be an incredible challenge, so instead they might memorize a whole paragraph and recite it verbatim to show they’ve learned it. “Instead of thinking that they’re trying to copy or cheat, recognize the effort they put in to memorize and give them credit for trying to learn,” she suggests.

Lastly, she suggests focusing on the influence teachers have on their students—and what those students might go on to accomplish. She recalls a time when she was working in Kansas, and her school received a grant to recruit and educate new ML teachers. When they asked candidates why they were interested in the job, every single one mentioned a former teacher who believed in them, and they were excited to have that same positive influence on other students.

“Think about all the good things kids will do in the world!” Dr Kim says. “We want MLs to know and love our language and culture and to contribute in positive ways. Encouragement and support from a teacher can put them on the path to achieve their goals. It can change their life!”

5. Build more skills with the Touro Graduate School of Education MS in TESOL

If you’re looking for more practical ways to support multilingual learners, the Master in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program from Touro University Graduate School of Education was designed to help current NYS-certified PreK-12 teachers better instruct and communicate with a diverse range of students.

“Our pillar is Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol,” say Dr. Kim. “It’s made up of eight components that include all the proven approaches and methods, which researchers officially tied together into a template.” By using this compilation of effective approaches, the TESOL master’s degree curriculum gives teachers the assessment tools and strategies to create inclusive and effective learning environments where all students can thrive.

This academically rigorous and practice-intensive program is made up of 33 credits, with courses that guide students through the distinct aspects involved in teaching English language learners. It covers topics that range from sociolinguistics and second language acquisition to curriculum development in a multicultural context to the ways diversity impacts individual learning and community development.

Students also complete 5-15 hours of fieldwork embedded in each course and at least 10 days or 50 hours of supervised student teaching experience. Via this practicum, students get the chance to work with students at a variety of developmental levels and put their new knowledge and skills to use in the classroom. They’ll also attend seminars and document their progress with a weekly reflective journal and an accumulative portfolio.

The program is offered via online courses, giving candidates the convenience and flexibility to complete it whenever they have time and at their own pace. Program graduates are eligible for New York State certification as a TESOL teacher for PreK-12. Students can transfer up to 12 credits from previous graduate-level study toward our requirements, and students who have completed Touro’s Advanced Certificate in TESOL may apply their credits toward the Master's degree.

The Touro Graduate School of Education MS in TESOL is a great way to advance your teaching career and sharpen your skills to better reach the ever-growing population of multilingual learners in the New York area and beyond. To learn more about the program and how you can apply, contact us today!