Supporting Children Who Bring Multiple Languages to their Learning
By Kate Feinberg Robins, Ph.D.
My son was a pandemic preschooler. In the fall of 2022, he was one of many first graders who had never set foot in a large educational institution. Over the course of his first grade year, we discovered that while he excelled academically, he struggled to communicate effectively in the school context.
At home, he communicated in Spanish with me and in English with his dad. We understood his quirky vocabulary and phrasing. We knew what triggered him to clam up and stop talking. We knew how to read his gestures and contextualize his words. Most of the time, we could figure out what he was trying to say, and could get him to express it to us – eventually.
At school it was a different story. It seemed that no one had time to wait for him to find the words. His quirky bilingual expressions were misunderstood, leading him to act out in frustration. When he was in trouble or upset, he would remain quiet while others spoke up. He refused to talk to teachers, monitors, or counselors.
As an anthropologist, I was unapologetic about sending a bilingual first grader out into the world. I wanted his school to value him for who he was—a sensitive, thoughtful, multilingual child. Yet I also knew that at some point he had to learn to navigate the first of many institutional contexts he would encounter in his life. I had to find a way to bridge the gap, to advocate for my son to be listened to, heard, and valued, while also teaching him the skills he would need to advocate for himself.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some strategies:
1. Share your child’s background with the teacher.
Share any language, cultural, or personal information that might help the teacher (or principal or other staff) understand how your child communicates. This might require taking time to notice things yourself. You might ask family or friends to share observations with you. Bring to the meeting any resources and ideas that you think the teacher might find useful.
I’ve told teachers that my son is fluent in English but sometimes uses words and grammar translated from Spanish. I ask whether they know any Spanish, and sometimes find that even if they know just a little, thinking through that lens can help them connect and understand him.
I’ve also shared excerpts from the book The Highly Sensitive Person, which includes a couple pages on how to work with sensitive students. Acknowledge that teachers may not be able or willing to implement specific recommendations, and give them the benefit of the doubt that they’ll take the information and do what’s best for their classroom.
2. Establish achievable learning objectives that you can work on with your child.
Find out how your child is expected to communicate at school, what they are struggling with, and where they excel. How are they doing with class participation, language assignments, peer play, and conflict resolution? What are the consequences when they get it wrong? How are they encouraged when they get it right? Find ways to reinforce their strengths and scaffold their learning in areas that need work.
Frame each learning objective with the phrase, “[My child] will be able to _________” and fill in the blank with an observable behavior. Then find ways to help them achieve it.
My son’s teacher praised his handwriting, reading skills, and thoughtful contributions to class discussions. But he was failing to communicate verbally in overstimulating or stressful situations. I was able to talk with him about things he had read or done in class for which he was receiving praise, and then help him rephrase his thoughts in more standard English. From there, I could help him articulate situations with peers in ways that would make sense to school staff.
What you are able to do with your child depends on your own situation. In my case, I continued speaking with him in Spanish so that he wouldn’t lose his bilingualism, but I made sure he knew how to talk about school in standard English.
3. Model communication strategies.
Point out to your child how you change your ways of talking in different contexts. They have probably already observed this during their preschool years, but may not have thought about it. Draw their attention to how you speak, dress, and prepare yourself for different situations. When getting ready to leave the house, ask your child to think about how they will speak, dress, or behave. Allow them to make their own decisions (within reason), but ask them to decide deliberately and go out with intention.
4. Be willing to find a more supportive learning environment if necessary.
Communication is a two-way street. If you’ve done your part to bridge the gap and don’t seem to be getting anywhere, it may be time to consider requesting a classroom switch or transferring your child to another school.
In the end, we moved our son to a school that has the staff and the will to meet him halfway. He is flourishing. He speaks with teachers, staff, and classmates. He is valued for who he is while also learning to meet expectations.
April is National Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month!
CPCK Note: We also love The Highly Sensitive Child; Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them by Elaine N. Aron.
About the Author:
Kate Feinberg Robins has a PhD in cultural and linguistic anthropology from University of Illinois and a BA from Bard College. She has served as Editor of Neos, the flagship publication of the Anthropology of Childhood and Youth Interest Group of the American Anthropological Association. She has published in Neos and contributed a chapter to the 2nd Edition of A World of Babies: Imagined Childcare Guides for Eight Societies.
You can find Kate here:
