Supporting Multilingual Learners LitCamp is the perfect place to build on and develop the skills of multilingual learners. The program’s whole-child approach is designed to celebrate engagement, enjoyment, collaboration, community, and identity—areas that are crucial for students with diverse backgrounds to build confidence and the love of learning. The Asset of Multilingualism Multilingual learners are students who are learning English while interacting in one or more additional languages at home. They are students who have the asset of multilingualism. But as you have likely discovered in your teaching, language is not just a set of linguistic skills. Language is a fundamental part of students’ identities. It shapes how they perceive and interpret the world and how they build connections with peers and communities. As you work through LitCamp lessons, consider the unique ways in which multilingual learners use their home culture to build a sense of belonging in school, at home, and in their communities. Key Principles and What You Can Do To further enrich your instruction, think about the things you might do to prepare a campsite. Each of the following principles presents an important insight about multilingual learners, followed by a key tip to help you “keep the campfire going” throughout the LitCamp experience. PRINCIPLE 1 Multilingual learners draw from diverse home backgrounds to make sense of the world. When you spend time getting to know your students’ backgrounds, you establish meaningful connections and gain insights into how to adapt your practice.
Tip Evaluate your “campsite.” Just as you would evaluate a site before setting up your campground, we encourage you to send home a short questionnaire to better understand your students’ lives. Ask families to share the languages they use, the activities they enjoy, and the learning outcomes they value. Knowing this will help you set the groundwork for deeper learning.
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