Leading Change for Multilingual Learners

Eight Steps to Transforming Your Work with Multilingual Learners

This timely article will outline an eight-step process for transforming how schools provide high-quality instruction for multilingual learners. It emphasizes the need for urgency, a strong partnership among stakeholders, and a shared vision for the future. The plan also details strategies for achieving this vision, such as communicating effectively, empowering others to act, celebrating small wins, and institutionalizing new approaches. By following these steps, schools can create a more equitable and supportive environment for multilingual learners.

The Current Situation

Over the past decade, the number of English learners or multilingual learners in our schools has grown. Classrooms have steadily seen an increase in families from around the world joining their communities, some voluntarily arriving to reconnect with family and others coming to escape war or other hardships. 

In 1982, the United States of America Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to deny free education to students based on immigration status. This was Plyer v. Doe. To this day (December 19, 2024), children, no matter their immigration status in the USA, have the right to attend public school and receive an education. 

Education is vital not only to individual human growth but also to our society and world. When we educate our young ones, we create a better life and future for all of us. The opposite is also true. 

Why Transformation is Important

As the world and life evolve and things change around us, we, too, must change. 

Things don’t stay the same forever. As educators of multilingual learners, one important responsibility we have is to transform in support of multilingual learners and their families.  

Each time leadership changes, visions follow. This is true in organizations, schools, and nations. When new leaders are hired or elected, they bring with them their ideas, morals, and ethics. In the United States of America, the presidential vote in November 2024 concluded with the election of former President Trump. He and his cabinet will likely change education in the upcoming months and years.  

We don’t know what changes the new administration will make. It might be easy to assume or guess. But it isn’t wise to let our heads get full of “what ifs.” Instead, we can remain steadfast in ensuring the rights of our students and families are protected and that students receive high-quality, equitable instruction. 


Reasons You Might Seek Transformation:

• Language development isn’t a priority
  
• Content teachers are not accommodating instruction for MLs
  
• MLs are not receiving high-quality, grade-level instruction
  
• ELD is watered down
  
• Families of MLs are being left out of important decision-making
  
• Instruction for MLs is isolated
  
• MLs are falling behind academically
  
• ML attendance is low
  
• ML graduation is low
  
• MLs are dropping out of school at high rates
  
• Teachers are unaware of how to support MLs
  
• Translation is being used as the sole way to teach MLs
  
• ML families report feeling unwelcome on campus
  
• MLs are seen from a deficit perspective
  
• MLs’ first languages are ignored or undervalued
  
• MLs are perceived as “needing to be fixed”
  

Becoming methodical about transformation might lead to greater gains. When it is time to transform what we do to serve multilingual learners and their families, let’s think clearly and move intentionally. Here are eight steps to transforming your work with multilingual learners adapted from Kotter (2007): 

1. Establish a sense of urgency. Why is change needed? Transforming or changing isn’t easy, and many will want to continue doing what they’ve always done. So clearly articulating the need for transformation is foundational to everything that follows. 
   
2. Create a strong partnership. You can’t do this alone. Or maybe it will be better if you have a team or at least a partner. Start small and build your group. These are the people who already agree and see the need for change. 
   
3. Develop a shared vision with your partners. Put your heads together and agree on a common direction, goals, and strategy. 
   
4. Get the word out! Your vision and goals might be great, but they won’t go far unless others hear about them and see them. 
   
5. Empower others to act on the vision. This is where your team of supporters will begin to grow. They’ve heard the word, and now they want to join. Removing any barriers will be essential. 
   
6. Plan small goals and celebrate success when they are met. When success is celebrated, people are inspired and feel more confident, fueling more action to keep going. 
   
7. Harvest the small wins to produce more change. As the small wins roll in, take time to gather and share them with stakeholders. Analyze the success and discuss the changes that are happening. 
   
8. Institutionalize new approaches. Now that transformation is underway, and you have identified what is working, document it. Articulate to all stakeholders that we use (insert method/approach) because you have found it effective for students.

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