Many Languages, One World: A Multilingual Learners Library
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Katy Knapp
Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield MO
Intro
The goal of this project was to allow multilingual learners the opportunity to check out books that represent diverse cultures and languages. The target audience was high school students. High School juniors and seniors attend Ozarks Technical Community College as part of the High School Programs department. The books were in student's home languages of Spanish, Arabic, French and Swahili. This information was gathered from teachers. These resources promoted and maintained multilingual learners' home languages and helped to build English proficiency. Williams et al, tell us the willingness to communicate is when a student takes the risk and has the confidence to put themselves out there and practice the new language, even if it means making mistakes. (Williams, Mercer, Ryan, 2015).
There are also books that promoted Career and Technical Education for multilingual learners. These books were to facilitate conversations of the future and to help build future plans. The materials helped students develop communication skills in both languages. I promoted these resources for students and staff at open house events to families. Paterson tells us, “Every student should have a sense of place at school and see themselves reflected in their learning environment,” (Paterson, 2021, p.53). The project helped to accomplish this for students.
Step-by-Step Plan
The "Many Languages, One World. A Multilingual Learners Library" project has outlined a step-by-step plan to create an enriching library environment, celebrating linguistic diversity and fostering a cultural understanding. The key objectives were as follows:
Acquire bilingual library books: Focus on obtaining books in the languages spoken within our school community, including Arabic, French, Swahili, and Spanish.
Promote resources to all students: Ensure that the acquired resources are actively promoted to students of all language backgrounds, creating an inclusive reading culture.
These include books that highlight the refugee and immigration experience in the library, aiming to build empathy and strengthen the school community.
Timeline
The implementation timeline for “Many Languages, One World. A Multilingual Learners Library" project is designed for efficiency and effectiveness. Below is a suggested timeline for implementation.
August:
Consult with teachers and counselors regarding current student demographics and home languages.
Meet with teachers to identify key texts in the ELA curriculum for purchase. Familiarize classroom teachers with their multilingual learner students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds and ELP levels.
Order appropriate materials.
September
Set up materials on a display for students.
October-November
Implement use of multilingual texts in the ELA classroom. Students can access the texts in their home languages.
November-May
Repeat process as applicable with ongoing units of study (novels, plays, short stories, poems) as part of the ELA curriculum
Budget:
For this project, I requested books in the student’s home languages as well as books that are for multilingual learners promoting career and technical education. Below is a list of the books I selected.
CTE Journeys Handbooks Boxed Set 16 Books (1 each of 16 titles) | |
If only you knew: Letters from an immigrant teacher - 20 copies | |
If only you knew: Letters from an immigrant teacher - Spanish edition | |
Great Gatsby Bilingual Edition | |
Great Gatsby Graphic Novel | |
Great Gatsby Arabic | |
Raisin in the Sun - Spanish | |
Swahili Stories for Beginners | |
Killers of the Flower Moon - Spanish | |
The house on mango street | |
The house on mango street - Spanish | |
Timeless classics - sample set | Saddleback-Educational-Publishing-Hi-Lo-Books-Catalog.pdf |
Sustainability
This project is easily sustainable because once books are purchased, they can be used for many years. I plan to highlight the library to new staff and students as they join the career center. The books will help students to feel seen and a part of the school community. The books are located in an area that is well traveled for students as well as families during open house events. This past year I presented to staff about language rich strategies to help support multilingual learners.
Reflections
As I reflected on the outcome of this project, I was most excited to know that it impacted over 750 students annually. This proposal truly embodied the idea of celebrating the linguistic and cultural assets of students. It went beyond being an educational initiative and evolved into a platform that promoted cultural exchange and ensured inclusivity. Multilingual students felt seen when they were able to access books in their home language. Other students developed a knowledge and understanding of languages different from their own. My hope was that the project would build empathy among native English speakers while empowering multilingual students and ultimately encouraging all to succeed in a diverse and interconnected world. The journey of "Many Languages, One World. A Multilingual Learners Library" not only enriched the student experience but served as a beacon for fostering a resilient, empowered, and culturally aware student community at Ozarks Technical Community College.
When recommending a project like this one to others, I would suggest collaborating with teachers to gather information on languages of the students they have had past and present. The student population in high school programs can change from year to year. The evolving student population kept the texts fresh and new to the readers. Ariza and Coady tell us language learning is affected by things beyond just classroom lessons, factors like age, personality, motivation, and even cultural differences all play a role (2018, p. 224). As teachers, it's important to create a learning space where students feel motivated and supported. I believe projects like this one show that our school values diverse perspectives and encourages cultural awareness.
References
Ariza, E. N., & Coady, B. M. (2018). Why TESOL? Theories and issues in teaching English to speakers of other languages in K-12 classrooms (5th ed.).
Paterson, K. (2021). Using home languages as a resource in the classroom: A guide for teachers of English learners. TESOL Press
Williams, M., Mercer, S., & Ryan, S. (2016). Exploring psychology in language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
