SMILE!!
Teaching Multicultural and Multilingual Learners
Make them feel welcome!
As a teacher, you should prepare the class and let them know there is a new student coming. There are several ways you can make a MLL student more comfortable, such as assigning a buddy, pronouncing their names correctly, learning some words in their language, displaying their work and maybe the most important thing is to SMILE!! It is important to keep body language positive, and to make them feel welcome in your classroom.
Routines and schedules are also important, because the students will benefit from clear goals and expectations. The video suggested writing a review question on the board while you take attendance. This allows the students to review materials and it gives you a chance to do a comprehension check.
By creating a comfortable environment you will lower anxiety. You should have plenty of books about their home country, share experiences and connect the content that you are teaching to their culture. Teachers also need to be aware of their students social and emotional needs.
One of the tips that I thought was interesting is the student needs to SWRL every day, in every class. Speaking. Writing. Reading. Listening. As a teacher you should understand language assessments, and use authentic visuals and manipulatives. Don't forget to celebrate and praise them for what they are learning!
As a teacher, I will be able to use all of this information to help my MLL students. Specifically, I will make sure I make the student feel welcome and lesson anxiety by assigning a class buddy with the same cultural background. I will go out of my way to learn some words in their language, and to be able to pronounce their name. I will make my classroom more comfortable and familiar by including items from their cultures, and labelling those items with English vocabulary words. I will have a variety of books in their language, and about their culture.