This paper was completed in fulfillment of the Original Contribution component of the Capstone Experience at the American College of Education.

1. Original Contribution by
Odette Ormsby

2. EIGHT ways to support linguistically diverse learners in mainstream
classrooms
Englishlanguage learnersface unique challenges.Theyare oftenfacedwithculture shockwhichcan
have a negative impactontheireducational progress.Theymayface social isolationandlanguage
barriers.The challengesof learninganew language andcontentmaterial atthe same time issurelya
dauntingtaskthat can see manyfallingbehindacademically.Chamberlain,(2005) in Awang-Hashimet.
al (2019) note that “students’inefficiencyinthe primarylanguage of the classroommaypose ahuge

3. challenge inthe processof teachingandlearningforboththe studentsandthe teacher”(p.122).Other
Many mainstreamteachersfeel thattheyare underpreparedtoadequatelymeetthe needsof ELLs,
especiallythose withveryLimitedEnglishProficiency(LEP).ItisclearthenthatELL studentsneed
additional supportandconsideration.The followinginformationprovidesTEN waysinwhich
mainstreamteacherscansupportyourELLs.
1. Examine your own biases
As educators,we mustbe mindful of anybiasesthatwe mayhave.Our biasescanaffecthow we view
individuals,groups,andeveninstitutions.Teachers’biasesmayleadtodiminishedexpectationsof
studentsandaffecttheirengagementwithstudents.A consciousself-examinationisnecessarysince
some of these biasesmaybe implicit,meaningthatbecause theyoperateinthe backgroundof how
minds,we are unaware of how theyaffectourdealingswithothers(Dortin,2020). These biasesare
oftenthe resultof “cognitive reasoningthatwasembeddedinourbrainsbefore we evenrealizedit
(Cuellar,2017).Introspectionandmindfulnessare waysyoucan self-examinetoidentifythose biases.
There isalso an abundance of websitesthatofferresources,includingbiastest,tohelpindividuals
identifytheirbiases.Once we are able toidentifyourownbiases,we mustthenworktoaddressto
diminishanynegativeeffectstheymayhave onthe teachingandlearningenvironment.
2. Getto know your ELLs
Effective teacherscreate opportunitiestogetto know theirstudents.Gettingtoknow ourELLs allowsus
to buildontheirstrengthsandisone of the firstand mostbasic stepswe can take to supportour
ELLs. Informationsuchaswhere theyare fromcan offera glimpse intothe students’priorexperiences
withschooling(Breiseth,2019). Teacherswouldalsobenefitfromlearningaboutsome cultural practices
and traditionsof theirstudents,acceptable andtaboosocial behavior,andcommunicationpractices.
Good sourcesof informationinclude:the studentsand/ortheirrelatives,school records,andhome
language surveys(Breiseth,2019) The Culture CrossingGuide providesuseful informationoncultures
aroundthe worldandcan be a quicksource of information.
3. Learn about theirculture
Cultural awarenessisafundamental principle inteachingdiversegroupsof students.Byunderstanding
culture,teacherscanempowertheirstudentsandhelptocreate anequitable learningenvironment.Itis
alsoa goodideato familiarize yourselfwiththe cultural practicesof yourstudentsasthese canhave a
direct impact on your classroom. For example, Muslims participate in a month of fasting called Ramadan.
Studentswhoobserve Ramadanmayreceive accommodationthatincludesnotattendinglunchor
recesswiththeirpeers.There are alsomanycultural contraststhat teachersneedtobe aware of so as
not to cause offense.Forexample,inthe Vietnamese culture,itisnotappropriate totouch a person’s
headas it isconsideredtobe the body’smostspiritual partwhile inthe Chinese culture beckoningor
pointingwiththe index fingerisconsideredtobe “inthe bad form” (ProQuest&BYU, 2022).
4. Promote diversityinthe classroom/school
The firststepin promotingdiversityinthe classroomistakingthe time togetto our studentsand
creatinga welcomingenvironmentforall.Teacherscanalsopromote diversityintheirclassroomsby

4. usingdiverse teachingmethodstocreate lessonstoaccommodate the differentlearningpreferencesof
students.Materialsusedinclassshouldreflectandpromote diversity.Teachersmustalsopractice
cultural sensitivity.Currentresearchsupportsthe notionthatfamilyandcommunityengagementhasa
positive effectonstudents’ learningoutcomes,inclusiveof theirgrades,social skills,andbehavior
(McAlister,2013). Inaddition,researchhasdemonstratedthathavingaschool-communityconnection
not onlybenefitsthe school butalsoimpactsstudents’ success(McAlister,2013). Create waysto
celebrate diversityschool-wide andgetthe school- communityinvolvedinthe process!Invite diverse
parentsto come infor classroomactivities!
5. Be informedon the language acquisitionprocess
Whenmainstreamteachersdevelopanunderstandingof secondlanguageacquisition,itincreasestheir
abilitytofacilitate the learningof culturallyandlinguisticallydiverse studentsintheirclassrooms(Hong,
2008). Teacherswhohave a knowledgeof the stagesthatstudentsgothroughare betterable to tailor
theirinstructiontomeetthe needsof theirstudentsThe developmentstagesof language acquisition
are:
Pre-production:Thisstage isoftencharacterizedbya “silent-period”inwhichthere isminimal
comprehension.Atthisstage,studentsknow about500 wordsinthe targetlanguage andbenefitgreatly
if speechisaccompaniedbyvisuals,gestures,andfacial expressions(Dam, 2021).
Early production:studentsrespondwithsimplewordsorshortphrasesinthe target language butstill
relyheavilyonvisuals(Dam,2021
Speech emergence: studentsknowabout3,000 wordsand can produce simple sentences(Dam, 2012)
Intermediate Fluency:In thisstage,studentshave developedavocabularyof about6,000 words.They
have a highlevel of comprehensionasandlanguage ismore refined(ACE,2021).
AdvancedFluency: At thisstage,studentshave developedsome specializedandcontentvocabularyand
are able tofullyengage ingrade-level classroomactivitieswithoccasional support(Hong,2008).They
can alsospeakEnglishcomparable tothat of theirnative-English-speakingpeers(Hong,2008).
It isalso importanttorecognize thatthere isa differencebetweensocial andacademiclanguage.
Sometimeseducatorsare puzzledwhenastudentidentifiedasanESL “seemsto speakperfectEnglish”
whentheyare withtheirfriends.ResearcherJimCumminspostulatesthatsocial language knownas
Basic InterpersonalCommunication(BICS) isacquiredmuchfaster(2-3years) thanacademiclanguage,
alsocalledCognitive AcademicLanguage Proficiency(CALP)cantake between5-7yearsprograms
(Street,B.& Hornberger,2008) Teachersneedtobe mindful nottomistake a students’proficiencyin
interpersonalconversationwithproficiencyinacademiclanguage.
6. Use culturally responsive pedagogy
Culturallyresponsive pedagogyisimportantinclassroomswithdiverselearners.Culturallyresponsive
teachingchallengesteachersto “have ahighdegree of sociocultural consciousness,holdaffirmingviews
of studentsof diverse backgrounds,seethemselvesasagentsof change,understandandembrace
constructivistviewsof learningandteaching,andknow the studentsintheirclasses”(VillegasandLucas

5. (2002), inAngus& DE Oliveira(2012) (pp.27-28). Culturallyresponsive teachingnotonlyvaluesthe
previousknowledgeandexperiencesthatstudentsbringtothe classroombutalsofindswaysto
incorporate themintothe curriculum.Activitiessuchasactivatingstudents’priorknowledge,facilitating
and validatingmultiple perspectivesinclass,andconnectingstudentslearningtoreal-life situationsare
all strategiesforusingculturallyresponsive pedagogy.Vavrus(2008) notesthat a characteristicof the
culturallyresponsiveteacherisone whoincorporatesknowledge learnedabouttheirstudents’culture
and theircommunitiesintheirdailylessons.Finally,selectingtextsandmaterialsforclassroomuse
requirescareful analysis.Thesematerialshave the powertoinfluence how studentsview themselves.
Therefore, “careful examinationof ESLmaterialsisnecessaryinordertomaximize empoweringlearning
experiencesandreduce negative andconfusinginfluencescreatedbybiasedcontent”(Ndura,2004).
7. Use research-basedclassroomstrategies
Data is readilyavailable onresearch-basedpracticesthatmainstreamteacherscanuse tosupporttheir
ELLs. Such strategiesincludecooperative learning,comprehensibleinput,vocabularyinstruction,and
methodsdesignedtopromote literacydevelopment(Leavitt,2013). Noone methodor strategyfitsall
so findingthe beststrategiesdependonthe specificneedsof yourstudents!
8. Use alternative assessments
Why use alternative assessmentsforELLs?Well,alternative assessmentshelptopromote equitable
access to education.Alternative assessmentsgivediverse studentsthe chance todemonstrate their
learning.Since theseassessmentsare dynamic,ongoing,andclassroom-based,teachersare able to
monitorthe progressof theirstudentsandadjusttheir lessonstosupportthe learningneedsof the
students(Janisch,et.al.,2017).
Some final thoughts…
• Do not make assumptions;itisbettertoaskif unsure,orfindothersourcesto verifythe
informationyouare seeking.
• - Be mindful of the SilentPeriod.YourELLs needtime tolistenandwatchas othersspeakthe
language before theyattemptit.Demonstrate yourpatienceusingcalmbodylanguage,anduse
visual aidsandgestures.
• Be mindful of cultural practicesandperspectives.
• Rememberthere isadifference betweensocial languageandacademiclanguage.So,whenyou
see yourELL studentinteractinginEnglishinsocial contexts,itdoesnotmeanthattheycan do
the same withacademiclanguage.
Thisblogwas completedinfulfillmentof the Capstone experience requirementthroughthe American
College of Education,2022.
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