School populations in the United States, as well as in other parts of the world, are becoming increasingly diverse. In fact, according to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the percentage of public-school students in the United States who were English Language Learners (ELLs) rose from 9.2 percent or 4.5 million students in 2010 to 10.2 percent or 5.0 million students in 2018 (NCES, 2021). Furthermore, a higher percentage of these students were in lower grades where developmental reading instruction typically begins, as compared to the upper grades.
Students from different language backgrounds also bring their home cultures with them, of which language is a part, thus increasing as well as enriching the diversity of the classroom. Linking literacy instruction to students’ cultures supports better comprehension and language skills development. Multicultural and multilingual teaching strategies promote literacy across languages, enriching students’ reading and writing abilities. However, teachers are generally unprepared to meet the challenges of teaching across different languages and cultures. Click on the link below to learn more about evidence-based strategies for meeting these challenges in the classroom.
“Drawing on Children’s Languages and Culture to Enhance Literacy Development”.