“Inclusion in the classroom is critically important because it fosters each child’s sense of belonging, feeling of being seen and understood for who they are, and their inherent value as a human being.”
As a middle school English Language Acquisition teacher, I often work with students who struggle academically, socially, and behaviorally. These students feel safe in my classroom, thus sharing with me their experiences as language learners. My heart breaks sometimes when I hear their stories.
Many multilingual students wrestle with feelings of failure. They may have recently moved from other countries, and their new schools are completely different from those they have previously attended. They feel like they will never learn English or succeed academically. Their grades are poor, and they cannot complete their work because they don’t understand it. They worry that their parents are angry at them for not learning English quickly enough. They don’t fit in or have many friends. They are often placed in English Language Learning classes, separating them from their peers. This separation makes them feel upset, thinking that other kids see them as “stupid” and that their teachers view them as “lazy”.
Did you know that for students who speak languages categorized as Category IV, considered exceptionally difficult for English speakers (such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Japanese, etc.), it usually takes about 2200 hours (or 88 weeks) to become proficient in English? This is a significant amount of time. If a student arrives at our school knowing no English, is it reasonable to expect them to actively participate and meet grade-level expectations in a highly specialized, vocabulary-heavy course like social studies or science? Even with scaffolds and supports, it’s challenging.
A multilingual student once said, “I feel like I’m sailing on an old, leaky boat in the middle of the ocean. The boat is small, the ocean vast, and I don’t have any oars. The waves are rough, and I’ve lost my way. I’m not sure where the shore is; I don’t have a compass. I am flailing, trying not to drown. When I look up, I see a giant cruise ship, big and fancy, moving fast. All the other students and teachers are on it, looking down at me, laughing and pointing.”
This comment hit me hard. I know this student is not the only one who has suffered. Over the years, I have connected with educators around the world and heard many similar stories about students on our campuses who are desperate to be noticed and heard. As teachers, we care deeply about our students, wanting to connect, support, and ensure their safety. We strive to build rapport and emphasize socio-emotional learning, yet some students still feel isolated and overwhelmed.
English language learners are often the students on the margins of our school communities. They are new to the country, the culture, have limited English proficiency, and have been cut off from everything familiar to them. These students most need our care and concern, yet they are sometimes overlooked or forgotten. They are the quiet ones in our classes, speaking no more than one or two words, whispering, sitting on the sidelines during group projects, rarely chosen for partner work, and freezing when called upon. These students are silent and silenced. They don’t raise their hands or call out to us, and in our harried busyness, we often overlook them. They are like ghosts passing through our classrooms, existing under the radar.
We are often quick to judge these students. Instead, we must put ourselves in their shoes. The pressure they face is enormous. They are terrified of falling further behind, as catching up is incredibly hard. We need to be gentle with these students, showing them compassion and empathy. Instead of hastily sending emails home about missing work, we should try to get to know them and their families, who might also be confused and unsure of where to turn. We need to be their partners, not adversaries, thinking and acting creatively to overcome language and cultural barriers.
Of course, this does not apply to all multilingual students. Some students enter our middle schools and hit the ground running, thriving from the start. These are the success stories that give us hope and motivation when times are tough. Indeed, I had a phase 1 English language learner tell me the other day that he felt very happy at school and was proud of having “learned a lot of new words and phrases, made many good friends, enjoyed the camaraderie of classmates, shared snacks, and the joy of attending class together.”
We know that our students have a greater chance of success when they have at least “one adult in the school who assumes special responsibility for their advocacy, acting as advisor to support that student’s academic and personal development.” So this school year, please take care of your students on the margins. Do as much as possible to create an inclusive community and foster belonging in your learning spaces. Pay close attention to the new students, recent immigrants, and English Language Learners. I know you are busy and stressed with much to do, but all your students need you to affirm that they are seen, valued, and loved.
Megan Vosk is the current chair of the AMLE Teacher Leaders Committee. She teaches MYP English Language Acquisition at Vientiane International School, Laos. You can connect with her on LinkedIn