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Education Sciences
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Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities
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Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Language and Literacy Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2025) | Viewed by 18840

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Margarita Jimenez-Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: multilingual education; bilingual education; translanguaging; bilingual teacher preparation; teacher professional development; culturally sustaining pedagogy; family engagement; place-based learning
Dr. Karen Guerrero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
Interests: teacher preparation; working with emergent multilinguals; family engagement to support building community through conversations around community cultural wealth; dual language teacher professional development; supporting diverse learners through place-based learning; gamification for emergent multilinguals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Supporting students in our K-12th grade classrooms who are in the process of learning English and content in tandem continues to be a critical issue. The terms used to describe students who are learning English as an additional language have varied over the years and include the following, to name a few: limited English proficient students, language minority students, English language learners, and English learners. In more recent years, the field has turned away from deficit-perspective language to using more asset-based terms including emergent bilingual students and multilingual students. Currently, the U.S. federal government continues to use the term English learners. The number of multilingual students our schools serve continues to grow at the same time that we are experiencing a teacher shortage, especially bilingual/multilingual teachers. The COVID-19 pandemic drew focus to the additional support needed to address the academic and linguistic needs of our multilingual students and their families.

This Special Issue will address various perspectives, challenges, and opportunities for supporting multilingual students in K-12 schools. We encourage submissions that address various models of bilingual and multilingual education serving multilingual students. Manuscripts focused on various language approaches, including translanguaging, are also encouraged. We are also seeking manuscripts that examine issues related to the preparation of teachers, paraprofessionals, and other specialists who support this population of students. Manuscripts that examine how to support teachers of multilingual students are also encouraged. Research focused on current issues and trends, i.e., the use of AI, related to supporting multilingual students is also welcome for submission.

Prof. Dr. Margarita Jimenez-Silva
Dr. Karen Guerrero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • multilingual learners
  • emergent bilinguals
  • bilingual education
  • teacher preparation
  • teacher professional development
  • translanguaging
  • language and identity
  • heritage language speakers
  • heritage language programs
  • dual language programs
  • bilingual models
  • international contexts
  • STEM content areas
  • social studies/social sciences
  • culturally sustaining pedagogy
  • culturally responsive pedagogy
  • culturally relevant pedagogy
  • language loss
  • family engagement

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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18 pages, 2657 KiB  
Article
Bilingual Teacher Candidates: Addressing Cultural Assumptions in Standardized Mathematics Assessment for Elementary Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
by Weverton Ataide Pinheiro, Delia Carrizales, Linnie Greenlees, Fernando Valle, Elyssa Cherry Shive and Rebekah Phelps
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030313 - 4 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 795
Abstract
This study explored how bilingual Latine teacher candidates (TCs)—undergraduate students in a teacher preparation program working toward obtaining a teaching license and identifying as individuals from Latin America or of Latin American descent, using the gender-neutral term in Spanish, “Latine”, to encompass all [...] Read more.
This study explored how bilingual Latine teacher candidates (TCs)—undergraduate students in a teacher preparation program working toward obtaining a teaching license and identifying as individuals from Latin America or of Latin American descent, using the gender-neutral term in Spanish, “Latine”, to encompass all genders—identified and addressed cultural assumptions in mathematics questions on the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) test. Twenty Latine TCs who were enrolled at a major southern research university (pseudonym: Southland University) program reviewed fifth-grade STAAR mathematics questions to assess cultural assumptions and suggest revisions for cultural relevancy. The findings reveal that the TCs identified cultural assumptions in questions about probable unfamiliar currency, non-standard measurement units, and culturally specific terms that could impede students’ understanding. In their revisions, the TCs proposed simplifying language and provided contextual examples to enhance clarity, aligning with the first tenet of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). However, few revisions addressed CRP’s second and third tenets, which involve fostering cultural competence and critical consciousness. This study underscores the importance of integrating comprehensive CRP training in teacher preparation programs to better equip TCs to create culturally responsive teaching practices. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about improving the cultural relevancy in standardized tests and supporting diverse student populations in achieving academic success. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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27 pages, 8281 KiB  
Article
Virtual Professional Development to Increase Knowledge, Use, and Self-Efficacy of Teachers Teaching Emergent Multilingual Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Social Studies Content: A Mixed Methods Case Study
by Karen Guerrero
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020115 - 21 Jan 2025
Viewed by 735
Abstract
The number of English language learners, often referred to as emergent multilinguals (EMs), in schools has significantly increased over the last decade, and teachers are not fully prepared to teach this growing population because of limited training and a lack of skills necessary [...] Read more.
The number of English language learners, often referred to as emergent multilinguals (EMs), in schools has significantly increased over the last decade, and teachers are not fully prepared to teach this growing population because of limited training and a lack of skills necessary to address academic needs in both language and content. This mixed-methods study explored the effectiveness of an online professional development (PD) to increase teachers’ knowledge, skills, use, and self-efficacy in teaching science, technology, engineering, math, and social studies (STEMSS) content and the English language in tandem. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Lave and Wenger’s community of practice theory guided the development, documentation and analysis of the impact of the professional development. Twenty-four Arizona K-12 teacher participants completed a pre-survey, an online PD, and, finally, a post-survey and interview. Dependent t-test results provided evidence the PD significantly increased participants’ self-reported knowledge, use, and self-efficacy to support EMs’ academic vocabulary in content areas. The impact of the PD on these three constructs was further supported with data-driven themes generated from the interview data. Participants overwhelmingly valued the peer interaction for increasing their knowledge and understanding of effective pedagogical practices and their self-efficacy in supporting EMs in their classrooms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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18 pages, 565 KiB  
Article
Embracing Linguistic Diversity: Pre-Service Teachers’ Lesson Planning for English Language Learning in Sweden
by BethAnne Paulsrud and Parvin Gheitasi
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1326; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14121326 - 30 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
Pre-service teachers today face challenges and opportunities in increasingly linguistically diverse Swedish schools. The present study aims to understand how pre-service English teachers of Years 4–6 (ages 10–12) plan lessons while considering this linguistic diversity. The focus is on pre-service teachers studying a [...] Read more.
Pre-service teachers today face challenges and opportunities in increasingly linguistically diverse Swedish schools. The present study aims to understand how pre-service English teachers of Years 4–6 (ages 10–12) plan lessons while considering this linguistic diversity. The focus is on pre-service teachers studying a course, English Language Learning and Teaching, with an analysis of their lesson unit assignments, spotlighting multilingual perspectives in their planning. Language orientations (language-as-right, language-as-problem, and language-as-resource) form the theoretical foundation of this study. An ecological perspective is also utilized, focusing on how potential affordances for lesson planning found in contextual layers (e.g., the national curriculum or course materials) may affect their planning. The findings indicate that pre-service teachers generally employ a multilingual stance in their lesson unit planning, revealing a clear language-as-resource orientation across the cohorts studied. Furthermore, micro-level factors, such as course literature, have a more immediate impact than macro-level influences, such as the Swedish Language Act. New knowledge of how and why pre-service teachers understand multilingualism, as well as how they then plan lessons for English as a foreign language in the linguistically diverse classrooms of today, can be of value to all teacher educators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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13 pages, 233 KiB  
Article
Elevating Students’ Oral and Written Language: Empowering African American Students Through Language
by Ramona T. Pittman, Lynette O’Neal, Kimberly Wright and Brittany R. White
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1191; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111191 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1996
Abstract
A consistent pattern emerges where African American students’ scores lag behind their counterparts on both national and state literacy assessments. One possible explanation is rooted in the fact that approximately 80% of African American students speak African American English, which differs from the [...] Read more.
A consistent pattern emerges where African American students’ scores lag behind their counterparts on both national and state literacy assessments. One possible explanation is rooted in the fact that approximately 80% of African American students speak African American English, which differs from the General American English, the language expected to be used within educational settings. African American English encompasses distinct phonological and grammatical (morphosyntactic) features compared to General American English. This paper aims to delineate the differences between these two languages, review research on African American English, and explore the prevalence of bidialectal or multidialectal abilities among African American students. Additionally, it will address research indicating that many teachers and teacher educators lack awareness of African American English, leading to a deficit-oriented perspective that views African American English as a linguistic deficiency rather than a linguistic difference. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
16 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Teacher’s Use of English and Spanish Interactive Strategies during Wordless Shared Book Reading: Relations to Emergent Bilingual Children’s Responses
by Natalia M. Rojas, Gigliana Melzi and Adina Schick
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1096; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101096 - 8 Oct 2024
Viewed by 980
Abstract
Little attention has been paid to describing the ways early childhood education (ECE) teachers implement interactive strategies and the use of Spanish and English, in real time, to support Spanish–English emergent bilingual children’s contributions to shared book reading interactions. Video recordings from 19 [...] Read more.
Little attention has been paid to describing the ways early childhood education (ECE) teachers implement interactive strategies and the use of Spanish and English, in real time, to support Spanish–English emergent bilingual children’s contributions to shared book reading interactions. Video recordings from 19 ECE classrooms during shared book reading were used to conduct sequential analysis to examine the different types of interactive strategies (e.g., questions, extensions) implemented by bilingual ECE teachers and emergent bilinguals’ responses to these strategies. This study found that teachers’ interactive strategies may reflect a degree of reciprocity, with teachers and children sensitively attuned to one another’s contributions in real time. Teachers’ questions in English and Spanish were related to emergent bilinguals’ responses across a wide range of language complexity. Similarly, teachers and emergent bilinguals tended to respond to one another in the language of the prior utterance, suggesting teachers and emergent bilinguals are attuned to the contributions of one another. By examining teacher–child dynamics, this study produced results that can address issues that may have direct, translatable implications for ECE practice and intervention efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
21 pages, 319 KiB  
Article
Building Knowledge across Language Systems: The Role of Audio and Visual Supports in Bilingual Learning through Self-Derivation
by Alena G. Esposito, Katherine A. Lee and Brandan K. Gunarathne
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101053 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1893
Abstract
Children who enter the US education system as emerging bilinguals (or English Learners) show significant gaps in test scores and graduation rates compared to their English monolingual peers. Dual-language education programs may provide an instructional context that capitalizes on emerging bilingual children’s strengths [...] Read more.
Children who enter the US education system as emerging bilinguals (or English Learners) show significant gaps in test scores and graduation rates compared to their English monolingual peers. Dual-language education programs may provide an instructional context that capitalizes on emerging bilingual children’s strengths and supports their academic performance while they acquire English. However, prior research has shown that integrating semantic knowledge across language systems poses a challenge. Supports may mitigate these challenges. Thus, across two studies, we examined instructional practices that may facilitate the integration of academic content across English and Spanish in elementary-age children enrolled in dual-language education programs. In Study 1, we examined whether facts presented through reading-while-listening or children’s silent self-paced reading more effectively supported learning the facts and subsequent integration for dual-language students in grades 3 and 4 (n = 56; Mage = 9.54 years). In Study 2, we examined whether combining graphics with text was more effective in supporting fact learning and cross-language integration compared to facts presented as text alone in dual-language students in grades 4 and 5 (n = 67; Mage = 10.48 years). Overall, the studies replicate the benefits of reading-while-listening and graphics for learning directly taught facts, but underscore the difficulty in integrating semantic knowledge across lessons and languages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
15 pages, 2244 KiB  
Article
Braiding the Ropes: Adding Second or Additional Language Acquisition to Reading and Writing Metaphors
by Jennifer M. Lane and Teresa J. Kennedy
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(8), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14080901 - 19 Aug 2024
Viewed by 3219
Abstract
Drawing on second language acquisition theories and existing visuals, this article proposes a new educational metaphor, Lane’s L2+ Acquisition Rope, to encompass the complexities of second or additional language learning. This metaphor integrates five major strands—external factors, social factors, affective factors, innate factors, [...] Read more.
Drawing on second language acquisition theories and existing visuals, this article proposes a new educational metaphor, Lane’s L2+ Acquisition Rope, to encompass the complexities of second or additional language learning. This metaphor integrates five major strands—external factors, social factors, affective factors, innate factors, and internal factors—to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding proficient second language acquisition. Implications of this visual highlight the importance of incorporating socio-cultural, neurological, and affective dimensions into educational metaphors to support diverse learners effectively. Lane’s L2+ Acquisition Rope offers a promising avenue for educators to enhance instructional practices and promote equitable learning outcomes for English Language Learners and other student subgroups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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17 pages, 595 KiB  
Project Report
A Pedagogical Translanguaging Proposal for Trainee Teachers
by Laura Portolés
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060648 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 205
Abstract
Pre-service teachers in Spain play a pivotal role in the multilingual turn in education. While research has confirmed the benefits of using pedagogical translanguaging in developing learners’ multilingual competence, practical examples of its implementation within teacher training courses remain scarce. Considering this gap, [...] Read more.
Pre-service teachers in Spain play a pivotal role in the multilingual turn in education. While research has confirmed the benefits of using pedagogical translanguaging in developing learners’ multilingual competence, practical examples of its implementation within teacher training courses remain scarce. Considering this gap, this teaching proposal aims to address the lack of classroom-based examples and employs translanguaging pedagogy as a frame of reference to enhance first-year preschool trainee teachers’ English communicative competence at the University Jaume I (Castelló, Spain). In this way, learners’ language awareness will be improved by using the languages that form their whole language repertoire alongside their linguistic experiences to deepen their understanding of English. The development of planned teaching strategies and multilingual activities is expected to foster prospective teachers’ multilingual competence and inform their future teaching practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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21 pages, 517 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Effects of Dual Language Education on Young Bilingual Children’s Learning: A Systematic Review of Research
by Dina C. Castro, Ximena Franco-Jenkins and Leydi Johana Chaparro-Moreno
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030312 - 3 Mar 2025
Viewed by 3139
Abstract
In the last decade, a growing number of schools have begun implementing dual language education (DLE), and studies have shown evidence of the benefits of DLE for elementary education students. However, existing research syntheses do not focus on DLE in the early years [...] Read more.
In the last decade, a growing number of schools have begun implementing dual language education (DLE), and studies have shown evidence of the benefits of DLE for elementary education students. However, existing research syntheses do not focus on DLE in the early years (pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten), considering young bilingual children’s development and learning characteristics. In this paper, a novel conceptual framework is used to explore the extant literature on DLE in the early years moving beyond Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to consider additional characteristics relating to bilingual children’s development and learning. A systematic literature review was conducted following a rigorous procedure, resulting in nine studies that met the inclusion criteria. Information about each study was coded and analyzed. The results describe the studies’ sample characteristics, research design, and findings organized by students’ academic skills (i.e., language, literacy, and mathematics), dual language classroom practices, and parents’ perceptions of DLE. This paper highlights current knowledge of DLE programs in the early years, identifies gaps, and offers recommendations for future research, policy, and practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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10 pages, 934 KiB  
Perspective
A Conceptual Framework Supporting Translanguaging Pedagogies in Secondary Dual-Language Programs
by Jaclyn Caires Hurley, Jessica Dougherty and Susana Ibarra Johnson
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1052; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101052 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2124
Abstract
This article summarizes the literature on the design of a conceptual framework for secondary translanguaging classrooms. As school districts move to expand dual language programs beyond elementary schools, they are obligated to ensure that these programs are grounded in sound educational theory. Rooted [...] Read more.
This article summarizes the literature on the design of a conceptual framework for secondary translanguaging classrooms. As school districts move to expand dual language programs beyond elementary schools, they are obligated to ensure that these programs are grounded in sound educational theory. Rooted in culturally sustaining perspectives, we propose a conceptual framework for dynamic dual language programming that is inclusive of translanguaging pedagogies. This conceptual framework includes key scholarship on language planning from sociocultural perspectives and offers examples of instructional approaches aligned to these perspectives. The purpose of this manuscript is to inform practice and suggest areas of potential research for secondary dual language education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools: Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities)
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