By Ginger Abbot
Working with bilingual students is both challenging and exciting. Second language learners may struggle in school, especially at a young age, but they will reap the reward of speaking two languages for the rest of their life.
There are many tools available to help you work with bilingual students. Here are five ways you can empower pupils on their bilingual literacy journey:
1. Visit Spanish Playground
Spanish is the most prevalent second language in the United States, with over 37 million speakers over the age of 5. Because so many young children speak this as their first or second language, free teaching resources for Spanish speakers are invaluable.
Enter Spanish Playground, an online site full of free resources for teachers and students. It includes free worksheets, instructional videos, and individual sections on topics like poetry and playing Spanish games.
While engaging with native speakers is the best way to learn, free bilingual reading resources for students like those on Spanish Playground can supplement your curriculum and add a lot of fun to your language lessons.
2. Check Out Colorín Colorado
While Spanish Playground is geared toward teaching Spanish, Colorín Colorado is a site that focuses on teaching English as a second language.
You’ll find many free resources for English instructors on this website, including a library search tool to help you locate appropriate reading materials for your students.
Colorín Colorado offers free support to parents, teachers, and schools through article and video formats. The focus is on encouraging English language learners to read, write and ultimately thrive within their bilingual communities.
3. Research Academic Articles
A lot of teaching techniques are simply common sense: stay curious, be kind and work persistently. Your students will learn something each time they make an effort.
However, it’s also useful to stay up to date on current teaching methods and philosophies. Second language learning is an exciting and developing field, and you can learn a lot from studying other teachers’ and researchers’ methods.
Use Google Scholar to search terms like “bilingualism and education” to check up on new research. Also, consider reading academic journals that specifically address bilingual and linguistic education, such as “The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.”
You never know – what you learn may revolutionize your teaching methods and make a real difference for your students.
4. Mix up Your Approach
Learning to speak a second language is excellent for brain development and cognition. It enhances memory and strengthens your students’ brains for better focus and increased ability to adapt.
Language students learn differently depending on their age. Young students tend to learn implicitly, or through exposure. Older students learn more explicitly, by putting effort and thought into studying and practicing a language.
As a second language teacher, you can combine textbook curriculum, video materials, and contact with native speakers to expose your students to both learning methods.
5. Preserve Your Students’ First Language
Although Spanish is the most widely spoken second language in America, many bilingual students do not speak it. It is primarily up to their parents to maintain their first language at home.
A few ways to do this include:
Speaking at home
Engaging with media
Reading
Spending time with other native speakers
Playing games or completing activities
Work with your student to make practicing their first language enjoyable and a priority. If one is available, you could also consider sending your student to a bilingual school.
Pursue Bilingual Literacy
Use these five tips to build a language curriculum that will strengthen students’ first and second language skills.
Reading resources for bilingual students and teachers abound, and many of them can be found for free online. Search for language-specific tools, and don’t hesitate to ask other teachers what works well for them.