Emergent Multilingual Literature Review

By Val Keenan

1
Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………….3
The ESL Teaching Podcast………………………………………………..4
A Case Study of Four Middle School ELLS……………………………..8
Reading Strategies and Activities for ESL/ELL Classrooms…………12
How to Support Multilingual Students in the Early Grades….………..15
SEL of Newcomer and Refugee Students....…………………………..17
Welcoming the Newcomer………...……………………………………..22
Refugee Education: Integration Models and Practices…...…………..25
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………27

2
Introduction

In the Masters of Arts in Teaching and Curriculum, my focus throughout my

graduate program is to learn how to better support students who identify as multilingual
students. My goal is to network with other educators and professors, engage in
meaningful conversation, and explore resources that I can bring back into the
classroom. I decided to create a literature review that showcases ideologies, resources,
and examples to help all teachers feel more confident in working with students who are
nonnative speakers of English. I pulled resources from multiple media, which includes
research essays, videos, and podcasts. It was important to me that I include a diverse
selection of voices from various educators and professors who have worked and
studied in different schools and communities. In the literature review, I focused on three
obstacles I have had when working with multilingual students: language barriers, lack of
linguistically diverse books, and lack of representation in the curriculum that is provided.
The resources I have included in the literature review help address some of the issues I
have faced, as well as give ideas that teachers can bring back into their own classroom.

3
The ESL Teaching Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wis2zD2vGfo&list=PLVGjErJ4AkWZj8igm-9yg8SPW
_cxCrPnj
Minute Quote
11:52 Ieva says, “Let’s identify
the changes that need to
happen in the overall
culture and how can we
make those changes
happen?” Carly says, “It’s
interesting because for
years for decades as we
have served multilingual
learners in our schools we
have reduced them to just
acronyms. Whether it’s
NEP (non-English
proficient), LEP (limited
English proficient) we are
always starting with
something the student
doesn’t have yet
13:10 Carly says, “when we are
looking at any type of
gifted and talented
program, we give it the
whole name. And what is
that saying to all of these
learners that are given an
acronym?”
Analysis
● This comment
makes me think
about how we
identify or describe
anyone who doesn’t
fit “the norm”. If a
learner does not
meet the standards
the U.S. education
system has
originally
envisioned, we tack
on an acronym that
ultimately hides
what the student
does bring into the
classroom
● If you are a part of a
gifted or talented
program, you are
almost worthy
enough to have your
title known. It is
almost expected
that people know
what program you
are a part of. If you
are an emergent
multilingual or
receive special
education services,
it’s almost like it
doesn’t matter what
the acronym stands
for because you
know it means they
4

16:36 Ieva is talking about a
student who came into her
classroom. The student
was very introverted and
quiet. She was adjusting to
American culture. A couple
months later another
student joined the class
who did not know any
English. The first student
started coming out of her
shell and wanted to help
the new student.
receive additional
services.
● In terms of
emergent
multilingual
students, when we
give them an
acronym such as
ELL, NEP, or any
other acronym we
have heard of, we
are erasing what
they know or can do
in their native
language. This
relates to ABAR
practices because it
praises native
English speakers
over any other
language
● I have had a similar
experience in my
own classroom. This
past year I had a
new student from
Ecuador and she
was initially very
introverted and
quiet. A couple
months later I had a
student from
Guatemala join my
class. The student
from Ecuador
started talking a lot
more and wanted to
help the new
student.
● Initially, when a
nonnative English
learner joins the
classroom they are
focused on what
they can’t do and
5
 oftentimes go
through a silent
period. When the
other student joined,
they saw how much
they actually could
do and what they
could bring into the
classroom

21:22 Carla and Ieva talk about ● I hear so many

how they used to use teachers and I have
deficit language to explain done it myself
where I focus too
a students academic level.
much on how an
They would say things emergent
such as “the student is low multilingual student
in English”, but now use is performing only in
phrases such as “the English. We need to
student is developing in focus on the
English and in their native students' full
linguistic
language”
repertoire.Even
though our
curriculum and
majority of our texts
are in English, we
cannot erase a
students’ knowledge
or ideas just
because it is in a
different language.
We have resources
and tools to
decrease a
language barrier.
Teachers need to be
willing enough to
take the time to
learn a couple
phrases in another
language or use
translation
resources to
communicate

6
27:38 “We have to put language
at the forefront and be very
intentional and strategic
with all of the scaffolds.”-
Carly Spina
34:16 Carly Spina talks about
pacing and how teachers
feel the pressure to stay on
schedule with the pacing
guide they have. As we
talk about the effects of the
pandemic and effects of
everything, it is so
important to meet our
students where they are at.
No matter what their
proficiency level is or what
background knowledge
they have we have to
make the content
comprehensible for them
● This quote really
struck out to me!
Scaffolding for our
emergent
multilingual students
should not be
something we do
after a lesson. We
are always thinking
about how to gear a
lesson to our
students' needs in
terms of where they
are at academically.
We need to
simultaneously think
about where our
students are at
linguistically
● A big part of my job
is advocating for my
students. Yes, there
are expectations
with pacing and
state tests.
However, I try to not
put all of that
pressure on myself
and instead try to
focus on seeing
growth. Even if it is
just a small amount
of growth it is way
more encouraging
to tell a student they
made growth rather
than, they didn’t
meet the norm.
7
Investigating the reading engagement of English language learners: a case study
of four middle school ELLS
https://d.lib.msu.edu/etd/1287
Page Number Quote
11 Thus, their competencies
in reading English texts
vary greatly. Research has
shown that ELLs’ level of
motivation to read is
related to their perception
of how well they read in
English.
12 Reading culturally relevant
trade books may also
motivate ELLs to read.
Students may be able to
activate their prior
knowledge on familiar
experiences or make
connections to ideas and
Analysis
● Motivation is a
factor that affects a
person's ability to
read whether they
are a native speaker
of English or not.
However, if you are
a nonnative speaker
of English, you can
imagine your
motivation is going
to be lower. I have
seen this in my own
classroom. A
refugee student
from the Ukraine
had higher
motivation to learn
to read because he
already knew the
English alphabet
and could read at a
second grade level,
though he did not
always comprehend
what he was saying.
His motivation was
a lot higher than my
student from
Guatemala who was
still progressing in
CVC words.
● Even if a student is
progressing in their
English and is not
reading grade level
texts, it is important
that the books are
still age appropriate.
● It can decrease
8
 concepts in these texts to
which the students can
relate.
120 Nabila indicated that she ● A students’ interest
monitored her
understanding and used
fix-it strategies such as
re-reading. However, she
admitted that she did so
only when she was
interested in what she was
reading.
● Nabila had more
● For students who
motivation if you
give an ELL a first
grade text if they are
in fourth or fifth
grade. Finding
books that the
student can relate to
culturally can
increase motivation
because though the
student does not
know all of the
words, they are
familiar with the
culture or event in
the book
and social
interactions has a
big effect on how
they view reading.
Nabila enjoyed
reading and was
able to learn English
and read
grade-level texts
because she and
her friends enjoyed
reading.
exposure to English
because she had a
higher motivation to
read
are just learning
English, I think the
most important thing
is finding books that
have topics that
interest them. This
way they are more
motivated to read
and learn new
words
9
153 He (Farshad) did not like
being part of the ‘special’
classroom that did such
‘babysih’ activities. After he
closed the door though,
Farshad and his male
classmates seemed more
carefree and actually
enjoyed the activity.
158 He presented himself as a
good reader to
compensate for the fact
that he was in the ESL
classroom with other
students who were just
beginning to learn English
● Outside factors,
such as how you
are perceived from
classmates can
affect what you are
learning
● Farshad was not
motivated to take
part in the activity
because he was
embarrassed
● The perception of
being in a ‘different’
classroom and
labeling him as ESL
effected how he saw
himself as a reader
and learner
● How are you going
to ensure your
emergent
multilingual students
do not feel less than
or less smart than
your native
speakers of English
learners?
● Students who are
labeled as ESL and
receive additional
supports still want to
be seen as good
readers
● I am reflecting on
my class last year. I
had about 7
students who left
daily during reading
to receive additional
ESL supports. A lot
of these students
were excited when
they could go to the
other classroom.
When the teacher
10

216 ELL’s identities influence
their reading engagement,
specifically their motivation
to read and participation in
social interactions
was absent, some
students would be
sad they didn’t get
to go to the ESL
class. I think
because there was
such a large
population of ESL
kids at the school,
there was less
pressure to feel
different
● In order to
understand an
ELLs’ reading
engagement, we
have to think about
their sociocultural
perspective
● Students’ interests,
friend group,
support from home,
etc. all affect how a
student views
reading
● Students who have
a negative view of
reading need to find
a reason to read.
Starting with access
to familiar books or
books in their native
language can help.
This is something I
struggled with a lot
this past year. I
used Raz-Kids to
print books in
different languages
for my emergent
multilingual students
11
Reading Strategies and Activities for ESL/ELL Classrooms Webinar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbBbmPOdJXg
Minute Quote
4:13 The presenter was talking
about when students are
doing research for a
project, the teacher can let
the student do research in
their native language
16:32 The presenter was going
through different reading
strategies to help build
fluency. Some of the
reading strategies she
highlighted include choral
reading, partner reading,
listening to reading, and
recording yourself reading.
Analysis
● This is helpful
because than the
student is gaining
understanding and
comprehending the
event they are
researching. If you
ask the student to
do research in
English, they have
to 1 try to
understand what
they are reading in
English and 2
comprehend what
they are researching
● In my own
experiences, I have
had to find books in
my students native
languages so they
could do the
research. It was not
always easily
accessible
● I like the idea of
having students
record themselves
reading. This way
they can go back
and hear their
mistakes. I think the
biggest takeaway is
that when working
with emergent
multilingual
students, they need
many opportunities
to reread the same
text in order to build
fluency
12
17:48 The presenter was talking
through different strategies
to help emergent
multilingual students build
comprehension skills.
Some of the reading
strategies she highlighted
include summarizing,
paraphrasing, question and
answers, sequencing, and
identifying parts of a story
24:45 The presenter was talking
about how graphic
organizers are very
popular. After doing
different reading activities
or games, it is helpful to
have students organize
their thinking in a graphic
organizer. She said the
idea of a graphic organizer
is that students can
eventually speak about the
topic or text.
26:18 The presenter was talking
about the importance of
having different types of
assessments. This way
students have multiple
opportunities to show their
understanding
● These are skills that
are beneficial and
important for all
learners
● The skills presented
in the webinar are
things I see myself
doing with all of my
students in second
grade
● When I have done
graphic organizers, I
have mainly focused
on students filling
out the different
parts of it and
organizing the
passage or story. I
guess I didn’t think
about then having
students verbally
relay the information
in their own words.
This would be really
helpful when
teaching
paraphrasing and
summarizing
● I think open-ended
questions or types
of questions that
allow students to
show what they
learned is best. I am
not a fan of multiple
choice. I think
project-based
learning is also
becoming a lot more
popular, which I like.
This way students
can present their
understanding in a
13
 way that makes
sense to them.

● While listening to
this webinar, I kept
thinking about what
types of students
this was geared
towards.
● Some of the
strategies seem
doable for my
students, but I don’t
think all of the
strategies were very
equitable. I don’t
think we should
lower our standards
for students who are
not on grade level,
but we also need to
meet kids where
they are at and the
webinar talked
about annotating. I
used to teach 4th
and 5th grade and it
was difficult helping
them understand
what exactly to
annotate or how to
annotate. So for an
emergent
multilingual student I
think it would be
even more difficult
to expect them to
take notes when
they are also
learning another
language

14
How to Support Multilingual Students in the Early Grades
https://www.edutopia.org/article/supporting-multilingual-students-early-grades/
Quote
By welcoming the whole multilingual child,
including their linguistic practices, we
send a powerful message that children
from diverse linguistic and cultural
backgrounds contribute to the vibrancy of
our early childhood programs.
All multilingual learners, whether they’re
new to English or completely fluent, will
benefit from talking with a partner who
speaks the same home language
Keep in mind that anxiety and self-doubt
greatly interfere with the process of
acquiring a second language
One way to reduce anxiety for multilingual
learners is to preview some foundational
concepts so that, at a minimum, they
have an idea of what is being discussed
and, at best, they are confident about
what is being taught
Analysis
● This quote made me think about
how oftentimes teachers look at a
student who is an emergent
multilingual and see it as a deficit.
It’s almost as if the fact that they
are still learning English, or just
starting to learn English, hides all
of the strengths the student brings
into the classroom
● This past school year,after some of
my emergent multilingual students
got adjusted and felt comfortable, I
would pair them with a student who
only knows English. This required
them both to problem solve. I
would help the student who only
speaks English learn some
phrases in Spanish so that
language learning was happening
on both ends, not just for the
student learning English
● I have talked to the ESL teachers
at my school and they told me
many emergent multilingual
students go through a silent period.
I think it is easy to see this and
assume the child is shy or doesn’t
know anything, but kids need time
to process a new environment and
get acquainted.
● I am curious to see how this would
play out in the classroom. I would
love to know when the
pre-teaching takes place, how it
takes place, and what the other
students are doing during this time
15
Sentence stems also provide scaffolding
for children to focus on what they want to
say rather than thinking about how to
formulate their response.
Use realia if you are teaching in person
so children can “see” the terms you are
using
One way is to use a strategy called
“layering questioning,” which means
varying the type of questions you ask
children based on their language
proficiency.
When you vary your questions based on
what you know about your children, it
empowers them to express their thinking,
extend their content knowledge, and be
active members of the classroom
community.
● I could see how this is a really
beneficial strategy. I also think it
would help boost the students
confidence because you are
helping them formulate the
complete sentence. They just have
to add their ideas.
● I have heard before that using real
pictures rather than images such
as clipart is more beneficial for
emergent multilingual students.
● This seems like a good strategy to
use for students that are just at
different reading levels, not just for
emergent multilingual students
● I think this would be helpful for
students who have some
understanding of English. If you
have a student who does not know
any English, I wonder if this would
confuse them by asking a variety
of questions
16
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) of Newcomer and Refugee Students:
Beliefs, practices, and implications for policies across OECD countries
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/a4a0f635-en.pdf?expires=1691598011&id=id&a
ccname=guest&checksum=64A41AABE657F523A081CE62F6072A5D
Page Number Quote Analysis

14 As a result, newcomer and ● Just because

refugee students present someone identifies
with a wide range of as emergent
competencies and needs. multilingual or has
refugee status does
not mean you can
treat them the same
● Every student has a
different story and
journey of how they
got to your
classroom
● Who do you reach
out to learn about
the students'
background?
○ Build
relationships,
secretary,
refugee
center?

14 Policies need to consider ● Since I have a

the specific development of background in
pre-service teachers during TESOL, I feel like I
their initial teacher have some
preparation and ongoing knowledge of how to
PD of in-service teachers support refugee
so they can provide a students. However,
nurturing, supportive most of my
environment for their knowledge came
diverse students from actually
working with
refugee students my
first year of
teaching. With such
an increase in
refugee students I
think there needs to

17

16 Newcomer and refugee
students may live with
family members or
guardians who are,
themselves, overwhelmed
or traumatized, and so,
unable to provide the
sense of security needed
by children and young
people
24 Anderson proposed
school-based interventions
to increase resilience,
thereby reducing the
effects of trauma, including
the following
-creation of a nurturing
environment
-self esteem programs
-training staff to be aware
of refugee backgrounds
and needs
-facilitating group projects
in classes to aid in
developing friendships
-teaching social skills
be more PD and
networking on this
topic
● Our education
system stresses so
much on
assessment and
testing that we often
forget about the
SEL of our
newcomers
● Mental health and
family supports
should be at the
forefront when there
are newcomers or
refugee students
because they
usually leave most if
not all of their
belongings and
other family/friends
behind
● There is starting to
be more talk of
teaching social skills
and SEL, but I think
our education
system is still
developing in
prioritizing it in the
classroom
● In terms of
understanding a
refugee students’
background- I had a
student we were
doing a case study
on to see if she
qualifies for an IEP
and I had to meet
with the refugee
center to learn
about this students’
18

28 Given the challenges faced ● It is very easy to
by refugee and newcomer
students, teachers need to
be knowledgeable about
and sensitive to diverse
historical, cultural, and
political contexts to ● When a teacher
welcome and support
refugee and newcomer
students, and to reduce
stereotypes and
discrimination in the
classroom. Teachers must
also be reflective about
their own attitudes and
biases to avoid actions
based on prejudices.
35 Evaluations of the program ● The section goes on
indicate that Head Start
students have improved
social skills and impulse
control. There is not a
study present that
examines the results of
Head Start programs with ● This reminds me of
refugee students
background in terms
of education and
health. Had I not
been doing this
case study, there
was so much
valuable information
I would not have
known. How can we
help guide teachers
to the right
resources in order
to learn about their
students?
have a newcomer
who does not speak
any English and
assume they are
academically low
receives a
newcomer, they
need to ask
themselves what
biases do I currently
have about where
this student is
coming from? How
can I prioritize
getting to know this
individual student
who has their own
unique story and
background?
to say there are high
turnover rates and
wages are low. This
is a common issue
in the education
system
other readings I’ve
19

37 A challenge is that it can ● It can be really
be difficult to know which
(SEL curricula) to select,
as they vary widely in the
theories that frame their
approaches, and their
might be barriers to
accessing these materials
● Having a better
43 It is important that they ● When teachers
(newcomers) have support
from teachers and their
communities regarding a
sense of welcome and the
elements of SEL
● It is important to talk
looked at where
students of
low-income families
and minority groups
are doing exactly
what they were
setup to do, which is
to not succeed as
well as white,
middle/upper class
families
overwhelming when
there are so many
different curricula. I
think the most
important thing is
looking closely at
your districts
philosophy, the
climate and culture
of your students,
and goals you have
to support them
understanding of
newcomer and
refugee status
students while also
taking some of the
pressure off of
academic pacing
would greatly help
teachers be able to
prioritize SEL
prioritize creating a
welcoming
classroom culture
from the very start, I
think it’ll make it
easier when they do
have a newcomer
20
about students’
backgrounds,
experiences, and
challenges even
without refugee and
newcomer students,
so that when they
come in contact with
a refugee or
newcomer, they
already have the
mindset of being
welcoming and
understanding

21
Welcoming the Newcomer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRWHZdYozWs
Minute Quote
1:52 I didn’t realize how afraid I
was to leave. Afraid of
everything that might
change when I’m gone.
And mostly fearful of who
might not be there when I
returned.
3:07 I understood that no
amount of preparation or
knowledge could prepare
me for this experience.
6:02 They didn’t choose to
come here. They had to.
And they likely will never
get a chance to go home.
Analysis
● This made me think
about what goes
through individuals
minds when they
are forced to leave
their home
● Do they expect they
will ever return? Do
they expect to never
return?
● They are leaving a
part of their identity
and then our
education system
expects them to
adjust to our own
culture and
language
● Newcomers and
refugees can’t start
adjusting to a new
life until they get
there
● Everything they are
used to and
comfortable with is
stripped from them
● This made me think
about a Ukrainian
student I had. He
had an older sister
and a brother in
kindergarten. And it
amazes me how
different each of
their upbringing is
because each of
them probably
remember different
amounts of home
22

6:43 As much as those of us
that were born here believe
the U.S. is the land of milk
and honey, it is not for
most of us. When my
students come here with
the perception that they will
have prosperity, their
experiences often don’t
match their expectations.
And those that have
experienced the milk and
honey have little to no
experience with people
who have not.
11:53 We have to help our
newcomers navigate
everyday systems. LIke the
cafeteria, systems we take
for granted because we
are used to them.
Seemingly simple things
can be overwhelming
obstacles for our newest
community members.
14:05 From my experiences,
when brand new immigrant
and refugee families come
into our nation, the biggest
factor in ensuring they
have an easy transition
and set on a path to being
and Ukrainian
culture
● Many people who
think very highly of
the U.S. have not
experienced racism
or have felt
someone was
biased towards
them.
● It is very sheltered
and naive thinking
when people take
the idea that the
U.S. provides many
opportunities for
everyone. Except
it’s everyone as long
as you are a white,
middle class male.
● Even things we
consider so simple
and basic and
overwhelm a
newcomer
● On top of that, there
is a language
barrier. You have to
explain each system
to a newcomer, but
not using your own
language.
○ Visuals,
gestures,
translation,
etc.
● This was really
reassuring because
refugee and
immigrant students
bring so much with
them. It can be
overwhelming when
23
productive members of you think of all of
communities, is the the things you have
welcome they receive to do to help your
when they arrive. student adjust to
your classroom
● Being welcoming,
accepting them, and
showing interest in
getting to know your
student really goes
a long way

24
Refugee Education: Integration models and practices
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/a3251a00-en.pdf?expires=1691706122&id
=id&accname=guest&checksum=AE81A39B6A30EF32F7603C2FCEDB17B8
Page Number Quote
35 An early starting age in
education is key because
gaps early on in education,
especially in language
acquisition, are only
magnified later without
appropriate
countermeasures.
37 In order for refugee
children to learn the host
country language,
overcome interruptions in
schooling and fully benefit
from learning opportunities,
it is important for schools
to provide early
assessment of skills and
individualized study plans.
39 Language skills are not
only important for
academic achievement,
but are essential if
students with an immigrant
or refugee background are
to develop a sense of
belonging at school
Analysis
● The earlier a
student can get the
proper resources,
the more likely they
will be successful
● What assessments
should be
prioritized? In
English or students
native language?
● With the trauma that
comes with being
forced to move to a
new country, I feel
like assessing is
difficult
● There are so many
factors that
determine a
students academic
level when you
assess them once
they arrive
● Yes, it is important
for the student to
learn the host
country's language,
but isn’t it also
important that the
student is welcomed
into the classroom
regardless of their
language?
● I think it is important
to see a student
speaking another
25
 language as a
strength that can be
included in the
classroom, rather
than expecting the
child to only learn
the language of the
host country

45 Introducing notions of ● Student voice

identity construction into
the classroom could be
useful for understanding
the concerns and the
experiences of refugees.
Moreover, including
student voices in the
curriculum could
encourage refugee
students to contribute their
experiences and
participate in classroom
discussions
should be at the
forefront of the
curriculum no matter
what
● Students need to be
able to feel
represented in the
classroom and
curriculum in order
to feel welcomed

51 Access to education is only ● Is the U.S.

the first step; good quality education pathway
education and flexible flexible?
pathways to education are ○ The U.S. still
key idolizes
higher
education
more so than
trade schools
○ Assessments
are not very
flexible

26
Conclusion

Through the different sources I have looked at on emergent multilingual and

refugee status students, the biggest factor in how they transition into a new classroom is
how they are welcomed. Though our education is taught in English, it is important to
prioritize a students’ home language as it is a part of their identity. When we use
English-only resources, we are saying one language is more valuable and more
important than another. Part of welcoming an emergent multilingual student into the
classroom is showing interest in them. This includes their name, interests, traditions,
culture, and language. Just how a newcomer is expected to learn English, the teacher
and rest of the class should put effort in learning some words and phrases in the
newcomers language as well.
Though assessing a student is crucial in meeting where they are at, it is
important to prioritize their social-emotional learning. Many newcomers go through a
silent period, where they are adjusting to the new environment. Students need time to
learn about the classroom and become comfortable. Newcomers go through very
traumatic experiences in order to get to your classroom and it is important that
educators create a space for them to process their emotions.
All newcomers have a journey that is unique to them. There is no one size fits all
when it comes to supporting refugee students into the classroom. Though there are
tools and resources available, the most important thing is to prioritize building a
relationship and getting to know the student. The classroom is a vulnerable space
where we ask students to take risks. We are asking emergent multilingual students to
take even bigger risks when there is a language barrier.
In terms of academics, there are ways to make adjusting to a new classroom a
little less overwhelming. Learning key words and phrases shows your newcomer you
are interested in getting to know them. Labeling the classroom and important materials
with pictures and translations will help the newcomer learn the classroom quicker as
well. When it comes to lesson planning, pre-teaching and continued exposure will help a
newcomer comprehend the lesson quicker.
It can be overwhelming to welcome a newcomer into your classroom. Teachers
have so much on their plate and are expected to meet the needs of each of their
students. It is important to continue collaborating with other teachers and professionals
for support.

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