Language Access Initiatives

🌍📚 On #InternationalMotherLanguageDay, we celebrate the power of language in education, identity, and culture. In Panama’s Ngäbe-Buglé comarca, home to over 210,000 Ngäbe people, a growing language gap threatens the transmission of Nägbere, their ancestral language. While most adults speak Nägbere, younger generations are more proficient in Spanish, widening educational disparities and risking cultural loss. To address this, #JADENKÄ, an intercultural bilingual education program, integrates Nägbere into early learning, using ethnomathematics to teach mathematical concepts through traditional knowledge in agriculture, art, and cosmology. A recent evaluation found that JADENKÄ significantly improves both mathematical and ethnomathematical skills, with learning gains comparable to other bilingual education programs in low- and middle-income countries. The impact on ethnomathematical skills (0.23 SD) was even higher, particularly for children who speak Nägbere and those taught by Ngäbe-identifying teachers. The program also strengthened students’ cultural identity and increased teachers’ knowledge of Nägbere language and culture. Far from creating a trade-off between academic learning and cultural identity, these findings reaffirm that bilingual education can help close the indigenous achievement gap while preserving language and heritage. 📖 Read the full study to explore the impact of JADENKÄ and the role of bilingual education in closing learning gaps and adapt programs to the context: https://lnkd.in/eKXx8h9t Emma Naslund-Hadley / Cynthia Hobbs / Juan Manuel Hernández-Agramonte / Humberto Santos / Carmen/Carmiña Albertos de Ceano-Vivas / Ana Grigera

Prof. Krishna Kumar’s incisive article “A Multilingual Classroom” is more than a commentary on CBSE’s recent circular. It is a clarion call to reimagine the very foundations of how we structure knowledge, power, and belonging in Indian classrooms. For far too long, English has functioned not simply as a medium of instruction but as a marker of cultural capital. It has shaped hierarchies of aspiration, legitimacy, and success. Kumar traces this back to our intellectual inheritance, where figures like Tagore, Gandhi, Vivekananda, and J.P. Naik emphasized the primacy of the child’s mother tongue in education. They understood that learning is not merely linguistic but deeply embodied, rooted in the child’s lived experience and cultural imagination. CBSE’s recent move to foreground the mother tongue in early primary education has the potential to be a turning point. This is not a minor administrative directive but a philosophical shift. If carried through with conviction, it could begin to undo the alienation that many children feel when schooled in a language that neither reflects their reality nor affirms their identity. What is needed now is a radical rethinking of the future. A truly multilingual classroom must be rooted in equity, empathy, and epistemic justice. It must allow children to think, dream, and express themselves in the languages that hold meaning for them. This means: - Curriculum must move beyond textbook translation and begin producing knowledge systems grounded in regional thought and expression. - Teacher training must empower educators to handle multilingual classrooms with pedagogical creativity, not see them as problems to be managed. - Assessment frameworks must respect linguistic diversity and stop punishing students for not conforming to monolingual norms. - Parental engagement must involve reframing aspirations around linguistic richness instead of monolithic English dominance. CBSE’s decision, Prof. Krishna Kumar argues, if implemented with care, sensitivity, and structural support, could move us closer to an education system that he calls systemic equity—not through uniformity but through honoring differences. #MultilingualEducation #CBSEReform #LanguagePolicy #IndianEducation #MotherTongueMatters #DecolonizeCurriculum #PedagogicalJustice #KrishnaKumar #EducationPolicy

I don’t just teach three languages. I use them as keys to unlock each other. As a multilingual teacher who teaches Arabic, English, and French, I’ve learned one thing for sure: Knowing the student’s mother tongue isn’t just helpful—it’s a superpower. How did that help me? It was a huge advantage to be able to explain one language in multiple ways and relate it to the rules in other languages. For example, when a student’s mother tongue is Arabic and I’m teaching them English, I get to: ✅ Explain grammar rules through contrasts they already feel ✅ Handle communication breakdowns with precision ✅ Even assess the student differently—because I hear why an error happens, not just that it happened This isn’t about translation. It’s about transfer. Arabic’s root system helps demystify French conjugation patterns. French’s gendered nouns prepare students for English’s tricky exceptions. And English? It often becomes the bridge between the two. The result? Less confusion, faster progress, and students who feel truly seen. To my fellow language teachers Have you ever used a student’s L1 to explain a concept in the target language? What’s one “aha moment” you’ve had thanks to knowing another language yourself? Let’s share strategies. Let’s grow together. 👇 #MultilingualEducation #LanguageTeaching #EdTech

"𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥." Many parents believe this. And out of love and concern for their children's academic future, they begin speaking less of their home language. But brand-new research published this month shows the opposite is true. What typically happens when kids start school: Heritage language exposure typically drops substantially when bilingual children start school in the majority language, and a shift toward the majority language is often inevitable during the school years - regardless of education program. This is the critical period where many families watch their child's heritage language fade. But here's what the research found: Literacy in the heritage language plays a fundamental role in its development and maintenance during these school years. Even more striking: Students who are literate in their heritage language have stronger academic achievement in the school language than those who are not. How does this work: There is interdependence between languages in biliteracy and bilingual development. It's like a root system: literacy in the two languages isn't competing for resources - it's creating a stronger, more extensive cognitive network that makes the entire system more robust. Literacy enhances vocabulary, semantic, syntactic and pragmatic growth across multiple linguistic domains in both languages. What this means for families: The belief that maintaining the heritage language hinders school success isn't just wrong - it's leading families to abandon the very thing that would support their child's academic achievement. Literacy instruction in the heritage language - whether at home, in community classes, or bilingual programs - isn't competing with school success. It's contributing to it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you're navigating questions about heritage language literacy and what's realistic for your family's situation, this is exactly what I help families work through. Reach out if you'd like support.

Imagine being brilliant at math or engineering, but struggling—simply because the textbook isn’t in your language.   That’s the reality for thousands of engineering students across India, especially those from rural areas or non-English and non-Hindi backgrounds.   But the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) new move to publish engineering textbooks in 12 Indian languages by 2026 could change that.   I believe it’s a bold, much-needed step toward making technical education more equitable.     ➤ Here’s why this is powerful:   ➜ Breaking the language barrier   ↳ It makes technical concepts easier to understand, allowing students to learn without language-related hurdles.   ➜ Rural students won’t feel left behind   ↳ Access to regional language materials puts them on equal footing with their urban peers.   ➜ More women and marginalized students in STEM   ↳ Native language resources create a more inclusive and welcoming path into technical education.     ➤ But let’s also acknowledge the road ahead:   ➝ Teachers must be trained to deliver content effectively in these languages.   ➝ And what happens after graduation? If companies still expect English fluency, will these students face new challenges in the job market?   ➝ For true inclusion, industries must evolve too. Skill, knowledge, and intent should not be limited by language.     This is a powerful step—but it must be supported by long-term vision in both education and employment.   Are we ready to shift not just how we learn—but also how we hire?   — Charu Jain   #InclusiveEducation #RegionalLanguages #AICTE #STEMforAll #HigherEducation #EquityInLearning  

Translanguaging in the classroom: An inclusive and strategic approach for ELLs 🌍📚 Translanguaging is a pedagogical practice that embraces and leverages students' full linguistic repertoire. By allowing the alternation between languages during academic activities, students not only enhance their comprehension but also solidify their cultural identity. 🌟 To implement it effectively, it is crucial to understand both its advantages and limitations. Benefits of translanguaging 🌟 1. Bridging Languages 🛤️ Translanguaging enables students to use their first language as a cognitive tool to construct new knowledge in the target language. This reduces linguistic anxiety and boosts their confidence in communication. 💬 2. Developing metalinguistic awareness 🧠 By switching between languages, students gain critical thinking skills about how languages function, improving their ability to identify grammatical patterns, structures, and vocabulary in diverse contexts. 📝 3. Valuing cultural diversity 🌏 Recognizing all languages as valuable in the classroom fosters an inclusive environment where students feel respected and supported. 💖 This strengthens their sense of belonging and enhances academic motivation. 4. Facilitating access to learning 🔑 Allowing students to rely on their first language helps them grasp abstract or complex concepts that might otherwise remain inaccessible due to language barriers. 🚀 Strategies for effective translanguaging ✨ 1. Strategic use 🛠️ Allow the use of the first language for activities like brainstorming, clarifying doubts, or explaining complex concepts, but prioritize the target language in structured activities like group discussions or final projects. 💬 2. Promote reflection 🔍 Encourage students to compare how ideas are expressed in both languages. This not only promotes language learning but also deepens cultural understanding. 🌐 3. Create bilingual spaces 🏫: Design activities where students work collaboratively using both languages, such as bilingual research projects or presentations that explain concepts in one language and answer questions in another. 🤝 4. Evaluate linguistic progress 📊: Incorporate formative assessments to measure how translanguaging contributes to target language development, ensuring it does not hinder fluency acquisition. ✅ Translanguaging as a balance between inclusion and learning ⚖️ Translanguaging is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it is a powerful strategy when used intentionally and thoughtfully. 🧠 Its success lies in balancing the respect for students’ linguistic diversity with fostering proficiency in the target language. 🌟 Teachers must act as linguistic mediators, helping students transfer skills between languages and use them as complementary tools for learning. How do you integrate translanguaging into your classroom? What strategies have worked best for you? 💬📚

I'm sharing 7 teacher moves that will improve learning for multilingual learners. There are many more that we can do. 1. Invite students' first languages into the classroom. This is something I didn't realize I needed to do when I was a young teacher. I was so focused on the big curriculum binder that the district gave me. It took me years to realize that the kids needed to be front and center. And that also meant their languages. 2. Hold high expectations for everyone. Yes, everyone. What we believe impacts students' success and achievement. They can do it! And you can too. 3. Provide scaffolds when students need support. MLs are capable of doing grade-level work but may need scaffolds to understand and achieve the goals. 4. Leverage prior knowledge. Students are not blank slates. Even MLs have background experiences. Use those to their advantage, positioning learners from their assets. Prior knowledge helps new learning stick! 5. Increase the amount of student talk. Talk is especially valuable to MLs. It provides the opportunity to practice listening and speaking. Routine peer-to-peer discourse or group discussions are effective ways to incorporate more talk time in the content areas. 6. Ensure that each lesson includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language is not acquired or developed in isolation. It grows throughout all interactions. The more we intentionally amplify and use it in math, science, social studies, CTE, etc., the better it will thrive! 7. Communicate to all stakeholders the beauty and importance of multilingualism. We have to quantify this message through actions, lesson plans, and resources. We can learn another language ourselves, or learn a few words in our students’ languages, and put words in languages other than English on our walls, such as “Hello” and “Welcome.” We can include languages and cultures in lesson plans and instruction. And books, posters, and bulletin boards can be inclusive. This list of 7 teacher moves is not all-inclusive. There’s much more we can do to improve learning for multilingual learners. What would you add? #teachingkids #teachingstrategies #eslteacher #multilingualism #teaching

There are still so many misconceptions about how Multilingual Learners (MLLs) develop reading skills — and many of those misconceptions unintentionally hold students back. Here’s what the science actually tells us: 1. MLLs do not need to master English before learning to read. Phonological awareness and decoding transfer across alphabetic languages. Literacy in a first language supports literacy in a second. 2. Bilingualism is not the cause of reading difficulty. Multilingual brains are incredibly strong language learners. Most reading challenges come from instruction gaps, not multilingualism. 3. MLLs need more explicit phonics, not less. Clarity supports reading acquisition. “Figuring it out from context” is not equitable or effective. When we honor students’ languages and teach the code directly, students thrive. We open access. We reduce shame. We build confident multilingual readers. — The Reading Hacker #ScienceOfReading #MultilingualLearners #MLLs #BilingualEducation #StructuredLiteracy #LiteracyLeadership #ReadingIntervention #ReadingScience #EquitableInstruction #AdolescentLiteracy #TeacherEducation #NeurodiversityAffirming #EducationReform #ReadingHacker

Building Strong Roots: Strengthening the First Language to Support Multilingual Learners A strong first language is not an obstacle to learning a second or third language. It is the foundation. When children develop vocabulary, comprehension, storytelling skills, and confidence in their home language, those abilities transfer. Literacy does not stay confined to one language. It supports all languages. If we want multilingual learners to thrive academically, we must intentionally strengthen their first language while they are learning English. Encourage parents to read to their children daily in their home language. It does not matter which language fills the home. What matters is that children hear rich vocabulary, complete sentences, and meaningful conversations about ideas. Reading together builds background knowledge and comprehension skills that directly support English development. Practical steps schools can take: • Send home bilingual communication explaining why first language literacy matters. • Provide book lists in families’ home languages. • Share short videos modeling interactive read-aloud strategies. • Host family literacy nights to demonstrate questioning techniques. • Create take-home book bags in multiple languages. Now consider families where parents may not know how to read. We must move from concern to action. • Encourage oral storytelling. Family stories build narrative structure and vocabulary. • Use wordless picture books and discuss the images together. • Promote audiobooks in the home language. Listening builds comprehension. • Provide simple question prompts families can use while looking at pictures. • Invite older siblings or relatives to participate in reading time. A powerful next step is partnership. Reach out to your local community college to explore offering adult literacy or ESL classes after school hours. Consider providing space, childcare, or shared resources. When parents grow academically, children benefit directly. Intergenerational literacy strengthens the entire community. We cannot expect students to soar while their families lack support. Honoring and strengthening the first language protects identity, builds cognitive strength, and accelerates learning additional languages. Strong roots. Strong readers. Strong multilingual futures.

One of the greatest strengths of international schools is that so many of our students are bilingual or multilingual. A child who can move between languages already shows mental agility, creativity, and perspective that many of us will never fully master. These students are the future translators of cultures, innovators of industries, and leaders across borders. But here is the paradox. Too often, international schools praise multilingualism on the surface while undermining it in practice. A child who speaks two or three languages fluently can be crushed in math, science, or technology classes because the lessons are delivered only in English. Parents often feel proud that their children are receiving every subject in English. On the surface, it sounds like progress, but the reality can be far more complicated. Some students thrive in English across every subject. But others—brilliant, capable, deeply intelligent children—need to process highly technical concepts in their home language first. They need nuance, precision, and the deep cognitive grounding of their mother tongue to fully grasp science formulas, mathematical reasoning, or engineering principles. When that support is missing, their brilliance is dimmed. They are left trying to climb two mountains at once: mastering technical knowledge and simultaneously translating that knowledge into a second or third language. The result is tragic. A child who could have been an extraordinary scientist, engineer, or entrepreneur never reaches that potential. Not because of a lack of ability, but because of a rigid insistence that everything must be delivered only in English. What international schools need is not less English, but more flexibility. Students need options. They need backup systems. They need the ability to learn core technical material in their base language when necessary, and then connect it to English for global communication. That balance protects both their intellectual growth and their cultural roots. It affirms that bilingualism is not a liability to be overcome but a gift to be celebrated and nurtured. Too many schools market themselves by boasting, “We teach everything in English.” But the true measure of success is not how English a classroom looks from the outside, but how deeply children understand, how well they retain, and how far they can take their knowledge in the future. If we truly celebrate bilingual and multilingual children, we will stop forcing them into a one-language box. We will give them the tools to master content in the language that allows their mind to fly, while still preparing them to share that brilliance globally. That is not lowering the bar. That is raising it. These children already have the potential to change the world. Our job is not to limit them with rigid language rules. Our job is to build systems that let their bilingual brilliance shine.