CITL recently offered a workshop that explored comprehensive strategies for faculty and staff to better understand and support multilingual students by focusing on creating inclusive learning environments and thoughtfully leveraging technology. This focus aligns with the broader reality that, in today’s globalized higher education landscape, supporting multilingual learners is increasingly crucial to the survival of colleges and universities. As student populations become more diverse, institutions like NIU must adapt to meet the linguistic and cultural needs of learners from around the world. This not only enhances academic success but also fosters inclusivity, enriching the campus community and preparing all students for an interconnected global workforce.

Understanding Our Multilingual Learners

Multilingual learners represent a diverse group, including international students, immigrants, and students from immigrant families. These students often face many challenges while simultaneously bringing valuable and diverse perspectives to our classrooms.

The first step toward breaking down barriers to success for multilingual learners is to understand differences in motivations and aspirations between them and their monolingual peers. Many multilingual learners see education as a pathway to breaking the cycle of economic hardship and achieving social mobility. They often aim for stable, well-paid careers in fields such as healthcare and engineering. Additionally, they usually serve as trailblazers in their communities, setting examples for younger generations, which creates more pressure to succeed.

Like all college students, multilingual learners may experience feelings of isolation, encounter potential bias, face administrative challenges while navigating university systems, and struggle to balance academic demands with personal responsibilities. They also confront language barriers, cultural adjustment, and social integration challenges.

Language and Communication:

Challenges in this area include mastering discipline-specific terminology, comprehending idiomatic expressions, and participating in discussions that involve concepts related to social justice. Additionally, cultural norms and etiquette regarding direct versus indirect communication can impact group collaboration and approaches to conflict resolution.

Classroom cultural adjustment:

Adjusting to an informal academic culture, differing expectations about questioning authority, and varying comfort levels with communication and feedback can be challenging without guidance and support.

Social Integration:

Navigating personal space norms, understanding the importance of networking and self-promotion, balancing individualistic versus collective values, and managing different expectations regarding interpersonal relationships pose significant hurdles.

Effective Support Strategies

When we adopt an asset-based mindset towards multilingual learners and acknowledge the valuable experiences they bring to the classroom, we can create effective strategies to support their learning while enhancing their skills and talents. Here are three key strategies to help reduce the barriers to success for multilingual learners:

1. Instructional Approaches 
   • Enhance Clarity 
     • Provide written instructions and examples for assignments
     • Share lecture materials in advance
     • Use clear, consistent language
     • Be mindful of pace and pronunciation
   • Creating Inclusive Environments 
     • Encourage interaction between native and non-native English speakers
     • Design meaningful group work opportunities
     • Foster a supportive atmosphere for questions and clarification
2. Leveraging Technology Thoughtfully
   • Explore various AI tools while emphasizing balanced implementation: 
     • Writing assistance (Grammarly, Writefull)
     • Pronunciation practice (ELSA)
     • Language learning support (ChatGPT, Google Gemini)
   • Important: Use these tools as supplements to rather than replacements for human interaction and learning
3. Building Comprehensive Support Systems
   • Success requires a multi-faceted approach:  
     • Language support services
     • Cultural orientation programs
     • Mentoring opportunities
     • Mental health and counseling access
     • Regular check-ins with instructors

Looking Forward

The key takeaway is that we must view multilingual learners as language/culture-rich learners instead of English language-deficit learners. With this growth mindset, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all students by implementing thoughtful strategies and leveraging ethical technology tools. Supporting multilingual learners goes beyond just language proficiency; it involves fostering an educational environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences.

Additional Resources

• Fairbairn, S. & Jones-Vo (2019). Differentiating instruction and assessment for English language learners (2nd ed.) Brookes Publishing.
• Harrison, J., & Shi, H. (2015). English language learners in higher education: An exploratory conversation. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 11(1), 1-16. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED507873.pdf
• Herrera, S. & Murry, K. (2015). Mastering ESL/EFL methods: Differentiating instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students (3rd ed.). Pearson.
• Katsnelson, A. (2022). Poor English skills? There’s an AI for that. Nature, 609, 208-209. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-02767-9
• Vogt, M. E., Echevarría, J., & Washam, M. A. (2021). 99 more ideas and activities for teaching English learners with the SIOP® model (2nd ed.) Pearson.
• WIDA. (2020).The WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework, 2020 Edition: Kindergarten–grade 12. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/wida-english-language-development-standards-framework-2020-edition