Emma Bierwert

Michaela Bulger
Bristie Rouf
ITE 320
December 1, 2018

Multilingual Learners’ Language Needs Reflection

Language scaffolds can be used in the classroom to support multilingual learners (MLLs)

English language development. “Scaffolding is entirely a matter or providing manageable steps

to get a desired end product” (Himmele & Himmele, 2009, p. 163). Three language supports

MLLs can benefit from are visual scaffolding, realia strategies, and graphic organizers.

“Visual scaffolding is an approach in which the language used in instruction is made

more understandable by the display of drawings or photographs that allow students to hear

English words and connect them to the visual images being displayed” (Herrell & Jordan, 2012,

p. 26). In the classroom, teachers need to build a file of visuals or have easy access to visuals to

use in their teaching. To use visual scaffolding, the steps are to identify the vocabulary, collect

visuals, reproduce and organize visuals, engage the students, and build the file (Herrell & Jordan,

2012).

“Realia is a term for real things - concrete objects - that are used in the classroom to

build background knowledge and vocabulary” (Herrell & Jordan, 2012, p. 88). In the

classroom, teachers can connect vocabulary to real life in a variety of ways. Teachers can use

realia to build and provide students with opportunities using the multisensory approach (see,

hear, feel, smell, taste). To use realia, the steps are to identify opportunities to use realia, collect

realia, build a library or realia, and use field trips as realia (Herrell & Jordan, 2012).

“Graphic organizers are visuals or pictures created to represent ideas, text, or connections

between texts” (Herrell & Jordan, 2012, p. 261). Graphic organizers are useful tools to support
MLLs’ reading and comprehension of texts. In the classroom, teachers can encourage and

enable students to examine text from a variety of perspectives. Some perspectives are making

sense of text, relating text to past experiences, and understanding connections made in text. To

use graphic organizers, the steps are to identify the teaching purposes, explain the purpose,

involve students in constructing a graphic, discuss the connections, and provide additional

practice in using graphic organizers (Herrell & Jordan, 2012, p. 261-262).

Throughout the semester, our knowledge about MLL students and how to teach them has

improved. We learned that there are different stages of language acquisition. The different

stages are emergent, beginning proficiency, intermediate proficiency, advanced proficiency, and

achieving academic fluency. Within each stage of language acquisition, there are different

language characteristics, barriers, and instructional strategies.

Krashen developed the “input hypothesis” which represents language acquisition. The

input hypothesis is “the concept of i + 1, saying, “If I represent the last rule we have acquired,

how do we move from i to i + 1, where i + 1 is the next structure we are ready to acquire?”

(Himmele & Himmele, 2009, p. 38). The input should be one level higher than the student’s

current level of language acquisition for the learning to be appropriately challenging. We

learned that as teachers, we shouldn’t give MLL students easy work because we assume that they

don’t have the ability to perform with higher order thinking.

Through developing our own Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), we

learned the importance of including content and language objectives when instructing MLL

students. Content objectives are what students need to learn about the content topic. Language

objectives are what students need to learn about English in order to learn, express, practice, and

apply new information, demonstrate knowledge, and perform academic tasks. Language and
content objectives go hand in hand. Students need to know how language is used in content area

in order to convey information (orally/in text) and use and apply the information in the lesson.

Resources

Herrell, A. & Jordan, M. (2012). 50 strategies for teaching English language learners (4 ed.).
th

Boston, MA: Pearson.

Himmele, P. & Himmele W. (2009). The language-rich classroom: A research-based framework

for teaching English language learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.