What questions do educators have right now about serving new arrival Multilingual Learners?  Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed?  Or perhaps you want to know how to manage multiple student perspectives in this challenging climate. I received some very thoughtful questions from some outstanding educators who are using Boosting Achievement of SLIFE at Georgian Court University  in their graduate program.  You can listen to the show on your favorite podcast app, or right here:

It is also on YouTube this time:

Thanks again, to Dr. Denise Furlong, who interviewed me for this show. We are great friends and we do this with her students every year.  This year they are focusing on the NEW Boosting Achievement book that I wrote with Anna Matis.

I hope everyone is following Denise!  Dr. Denise Furlong  is an Assistant Professor and Director of Advanced Programs for Reading Specialist and ESL.

Dr. Furlong just released HER amazing new book Learners First: Purpose and Practicality in Your Early Years of Teaching. I am so happy to have purchased this book for my daughter who is studying to be an educator.  I highly recommend the book. It will be featured in an upcoming episode!

  

Here are some words from Dr. Furlong that she shared in the interview before we dove into the questions:

At Georgian Court University, we use Dr. Salva’s book as one of our course texts in a graduate-level course for educators pursuing their endorsements to become reading specialists or teachers of multilingual learners. Each semester, students are so engaged and learn a ton from Dr. Salva’s work and they jumped at the chance to ask her some questions. Bragging a bit, GCU students are just so inspiring and I am grateful daily that I get to learn alongside them. Dr. Salva, we’re all honored that you’re willing to take this time to connect with us.  

 

Here are the Questions and a Few Notes With Links on My Answers:

Michelle:  

I’m a high school English teacher in a diverse urban district where most of my 100+ students are multilingual learners, including many who recently exited ESL services. I love helping them grow as readers and writers. But I’ll be honest. Between lesson planning, grading, and trying to give each student what they need which feels impossible, teacher fatigue is real. What advice do you have for secondary teachers who want to stay energized and creative while supporting many amazing (but often high-needs) learners? How do we do this work sustainably and joyfully? 

Answer from Dr. Salva had to do with:   

• Focus on a productive mindset.
• Have a thought partner – you can find them online in groups like: Advocating for MLs and Leading ELLs Facebook Groups
• Find time to take a breath each day.  You can just take a moment or you can meditate, do yoga, journal.  But find time to remind yourself of truths like:
  • I’m helping build their confidence & feel valued.  That will serve them through their lives.
  • They can do more.
  • They ARE learning.  This is a long game.
  • They make progress every day.  VS. This is hopeless.  It is never hopeless!

Hailey: 

How may you consider your own experiences as a learner (or language learner) as an influence on how you taught your students? Are there things that you would not do with students based on your own experiences? Are there things that you always do?  

Answer from Dr. Salva:   

• Lecturing vs Structuring Conversations (see Ep 108). 
• Offering more Student Centered Lessons – Giving them opportunities to digest the learning. 
• Making sure students realize how smart they are. 
• Offering the productive struggle with support.

Jackie:

One of our assignments in this course is to choose an episode from your podcast that speaks to us and reflect on it. I loved your episode about teaching Newcomers in this climate. We have students who come from different cultures, religions, sometimes countries that are at odds with one another.  We talk about providing space for different opinions and voices. What happens when one student’s opinion is shared but you feel that it may make the environment uncomfortable for another student?  

Answer from Dr. Salva:   

• It is a question for EVERY teacher.  We need to create conditions where students feel comfortable sharing but also respect others who are hearing them.
• Check out Episode 124 on Social Contracts 
• Remember that we are preparing them all for a world in which they need to think about how they want to be treated.

Deb:

What is advice you have for teachers who are new to the profession? Has this advice changed over the years, or is it the same thing you would have said to yourself as a newbie? 

Dr. Salva’s Answer had to do with:

• Know that your fresh eyes bring so much value.
• Be kind and patient to yourself.
•  Noa Daniel The Mentoree 

Kate:

Thanks for including your dissertation research in the new edition. Do you have plans for future research?  

Dr. Salva’s Answer had to do with:

• It is a gift to be able to do research.  It is a lot of work but it is WORTH IT.
• I don’t have plans for another dissertation but I am not going to say never.
• Currently I enjoy learning from the latest research coming out like the book Dr. Furlong just published.
• The dissertation is here for free.  And it is also a chapter in The Boosting Achievement book in a very user-friendly format.

Dr. Furlong:

When you Google Dr. Carol Salva, “ESL Teaching Hero” comes up. What are your best accessories if you had a superhero kit?  

Dr. Salva’s Answer had to do with:

• Mindset – We need to challenge our beliefs so we can remind ourselves. 
• Sticky Notes with your positive affimations like:  They can do more.  Remember: they know more every day.  Remember:  This is a long game.
• Sticky chart paper. This is  the ONLY thing I request when my school needs to know what I really need.  I cant get other things pretty cheap or they are already supplied for us.  But I need this type of paper for co-creating text. That is a TOP TIP for any level language learner. You can also use butcher paper and masking tape.  To see examples of the power of this, check out this show on “Language Experience Approach.”  And don’t miss the show on “Going BEYOND co-creating text.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. FURLONG and THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOUR AMAZING STUDENTS!

And many thanks to you if you are reading this.  All of you… YOU are one of the good ones.  You are the answer!

Please reach out if I can help you.  I’m at Carol@SeidlitzEducation.com

With love,

Carol