Module 2b: Linguistically Responsive Teaching

Imagine a mother telling her adult son to "fold in the cheese." He knows the words. He doesn't know the move. That's how a lot of classroom language works for a student who is still learning English: every word is familiar and the meaning still doesn't land. This module is Part B of Module 2 from our featured course, "Empowering Multilingual Learners: One Strategy At A Time." It's built around three questions: What makes instruction linguistically accessible? What makes participation linguistically accessible? And what can I change tomorrow? You'll begin with the research behind the idea. Tamara Lucas and Ana María Villegas describe what linguistically responsive teachers develop: orientations (how they think), knowledge (what they know), and skills (what they do). Then you'll look closely at instruction. You'll see why comprehensible input matters, where linguistic barriers show up (teacher talk, materials, interaction, and routines), and how pacing, repetition, visuals, modeling, and real checks for understanding help. You'll see what this looks like across subjects, with examples from history, math and science, English language arts, and beyond the core subjects. Then you'll turn to participation: wait time, rehearsal before responding, structured discussion, sentence frames, multiple ways to take part, and talk with a purpose. You'll use a short self-audit to look at your own classroom interaction.