Best practices are intended to support multilingual learners (MLs) in all classes, no matter their proficiency level. These strategies are expected to be used by all teachers within lessons, assignments, and assessments to support MLs and all learners. Best practices are strategies that educators can quickly implement within daily instruction, activities, and classroom assessments.
An accommodation changes how information and concepts are presented or practiced ensuring that each student has the opportunities and support needed to learn. Accommodations do not reduce the learning expectations and should be chosen based on the student’s individual needs and not applied arbitrarily to all MLs. Accommodations are not to be viewed as an advantage to the student; accommodations provide access to the content for the student.
Accommodations:
Provide access to grade-level curriculum;
Alter the environment, not the curriculum;
Do not change the learning outcomes;
Happen in the content-area classroom; and
Should not impact grading, though how learning is assessed may change.
*Provide Visual Cues is also a best practice.
Description
Visual cues involve the use of various visual stimuli in order to help multilingual learners (MLs) “make meaning”. Visual cues are especially helpful in immersion settings and helps reduce stress and increase comprehension.
Example:
- A social studies teacher uses an illustrated timeline to help teach a unit on ancient China which includes pictures, labels and dates.
- A science teacher uses an interactive cell game to help in teaching the unit of cell biology.
- Working in a small group, students summarize and act out the actions of a specific chapter in their reading selection.
- Students learn and use highlighting and or literary “signpost” symbols as they read.
- Math manipulatives are used to teach both 2D and 3D shapes.
|
Teacher |
Student |
 |
The teacher can use:
- hand gestures
- facial expressions
- acting out
- anchor charts
- graphic organizers, charts
- pictures, photos, graphics, symbols, realia, manipulatives, foldables, etc.
- color-coding (be consistent)
- words or phrases
- videos and short clips to demonstrate concept
|
The student observes the cue and can respond as appropriate. This reinforces what the student reads, writes, or hears. |
|
Teacher |
Student |
 |
"Let's review the graphic organizer to help guide our discussion."
"Can you use your hand gestures to review the steps for long division?" |
"Can you show me a picture of what this looks like?"
"Can I highlight and color-code my paragraph?" |
| Recommended Domain(s) |
Recommended Level(s) |
| Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing |
All levels*
*accommodation is adjusted for levels 4-6 |
