Put first things first: Prioritize language and organize resources

           To increase literacy rates and create effective Multilingual Education (MLE) programs, we have to prioritize language. While the majority of educational settings in the United States use English as the official language, there are many linguistic minorities who use their home language as the dominant one for social and cognitive purposes. These learners fall under the umbrella term English Language Learners (ELLs). Even though many ELL students start learning English at a young age, approximately 8.3% of students in U.S. public schools are youth ELLs (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020). This means that many learners aged 15-24 still use a language other than English as their home language. The top three languages used are Spanish/Castilian, Arabic, and Chinese (NCES, 2020). The reason why it is essential to offer MLE programs is that it takes seven to ten years for non-native speakers to academically be at the same level as their peers (as cited in Penke, 2018). Not only does this exacerbate the achievement gap within education, but it specifically shows that a literacy gap is the root issue we need to solve.

          We want youth to feel engaged, inspired, and empowered by what they learn. By giving learners the power to make decisions and choices in their development, we can guide them in their journey while letting them take their future into their own hands. We should use effective personal management to focus on what is important and what will result in a long-lasting positive change. Therefore, learners need to believe they are responsible for their own achievements (Covey, 2020). We need to connect them with the appropriate tools and resources; they will create their own path toward success. 

          Besides hiring and training bilingual or multilingual staff, we need to differentiate our teaching approach based on learners' needs. According to Education Week (2019), it is important to use inductive strategy, enhance background knowledge in multiple languages, offer a variety of texts, pair learners with peers of the same or a different proficiency level, play videos at slower speeds and with closed captions, and create a learning environment in which learners feel comfortable to take risks. Additionally, it is imperative to use visual information and nonverbal communication to support their understanding. Scaffolding is key. This way learners can learn to make connections between their home language and the official language, which will eventually result in improved literacy. 

Image source: (Staehr Fenner, 2018).

          To put first things first, you need to get to know your learners. Familiarize yourself with their ethnic and linguistic background in order to learn which tools and resources might be beneficial. Provide them with quality bilingual/multilingual teachers and be available for support. If you are an educator of ELLs make sure you become proficient in a second (or third) language or find a peer-educator who can assist and guide you during teaching. Collect and create visual materials. Complement these with texts in both English and their home language when possible. Present instruction in a variety of ways for better understanding. To increase confidence and to build a good relationship between educators and learners, work in small groups and encourage peer interactions. By organizing our actions based on what is important and truly impactful, we can efficiently and effectively invest our time and energy in eradicating youth illiteracy. It all starts with focusing on the young people that need our help.

References

Covey, S. R. (2020). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change (30th-anniversary edition). Simon & Schuster.

Education Week. (2019, Feb. 6). Differentiating instruction: A guide for teaching English-Language Learners. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hekJsCOHLU&ab_channel=EducationWeek

National Center for Education Statistics [NCES]. (2020, May). English Language Learners in public schools. The Condition of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgf.asp

Penke, H. T. (2018). ELL Students: Literacy Development and Language Development. Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education, 3(1), 59. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/ctlle/vol3/iss1/11/

Media Sources

Staehr Fenner, D. (2018, June 8). Scaffolding instruction for English learners [Image]. SupportEd. https://getsupported.net/scaffolding-instruction-for-english-learners/