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a ready-to-run workshopLeveraging Home Languages
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Leveraging Students' Home Languages (Workshop)

A multilingual student's home language is not an obstacle to overcome, it is a powerful asset for learning. Welcoming and strategically using students' home languages, rather than suppressing them, supports comprehension, identity, and deeper learning in English too.

Key takeaway

A multilingual student's home language is not an obstacle but a powerful asset; welcoming and strategically using students' home languages, rather than suppressing them, supports comprehension, identity, and deeper learning in English too.

Format
PLC / team meeting
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
Any teacher-leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutYour multilingual students in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Transformational ProcessesInTASC 2: Learning DifferencesResearch on multilingualism and translanguaging
Share / assign

Why it works

Research increasingly shows that multilingual students' home languages are an asset, not a deficit: the knowledge, skills, and concepts students have in their first language transfer to learning in English, and strategically using the home language (an approach often called translanguaging, allowing students to draw on their full linguistic repertoire) supports comprehension, deeper thinking, and academic learning, while suppressing it undermines learning, identity, and belonging. Leveraging home languages can mean allowing and encouraging students to use their home language to think, discuss, and make sense; drawing connections between languages; valuing and incorporating home languages and cultures; and viewing bilingualism as an advantage. This asset-based approach, distinct from older English-only assumptions, supports both learning and students' sense of self, and ultimately strengthens English learning too.

The research: Research on multilingualism, transfer, and translanguaging.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: treat home languages as assets

    Teachers leave treating home languages as assets and using them strategically.

    Home language is an assetA student's home language supports comprehension, identity, and learning, including in English. Welcome and strategically use home languages, rather than suppress them, treating bilingualism as an advantage.

    Facilitator notes

    Suppressing the home language undermines learning and belongingEnglish-only suppression of home languages harms comprehension, identity, and belonging, and does not speed English learning. Treat home languages as assets and use them strategically.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Home Languages: a powerful asset

    <b>Not an obstacle:</b> welcome and strategically use home languages, leverage transfer, and value languages and cultures.

    1. How I view and treat home languages as assets:
    2. How I allow and encourage home-language use to think and make sense:
    3. How I draw connections between languages and leverage transfer:
    4. How I value and incorporate home languages and cultures:
    5. A way to leverage a home language this week:

    Make it stick

    A powerful asset:

    Common questions

    Won't using the home language slow down English learning?
    No, research shows the opposite: home-language knowledge transfers to English, and strategically using the home language (translanguaging) supports comprehension and deeper learning, which strengthens English learning too. Suppressing it undermines learning.
    How do I leverage home languages if I don't speak them?
    You do not need to speak them. Allow and encourage students to use their home language to think, discuss, and make sense; draw connections between languages; and value home languages and cultures as assets.
    Isn't the goal English proficiency?
    Yes, and leveraging the home language advances it. Bilingualism is an advantage, and home-language use supports comprehension, identity, and learning, strengthening rather than hindering English development.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

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