August 2024 – Volume 28, Number 2
https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28110r1
Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators (Second Edition) |
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| Author: | Debbie Zacarian (2023) |  |
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| Publisher: | Corwin Press: A SAGE Publishing Company | ||
| Pages | ISBN-13 | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pp. x + 218 | 978-1-0718-8460-7 (Paper) | $34.00 | |
A considerable proportion of second language learners in K-12 settings in the United States come from globally diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Lin & Bates, 2014). Chief among U.S. educators’ obligations is teaching and mentoring multilingual learners (MLs) at various stages of their academic paths. In the book Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators (2023), Zacarian asserts that educators alone cannot shoulder the responsibilities of supporting such diverse learners: collaboration among educators, school administrators and families are needed to enhance MLs’ educational experiences. The author emphasizes the need to make well-informed decisions about programmatic support and methods of instruction. This book is a comprehensive guide that informs English language educators, school administrators, curriculum supervisors and other stakeholders about different program models and assists them in developing and implementing policies and instructional practices that will provide MLs a sense of belonging, value, and accomplishment.
This book is structured into eight chapters, each of which offers research-based information on how to teach and support MLs in the U.S. educational system. In the opening section of the book, the author focuses on the transition phase of multilingual learners when they enroll in new schools or advance to higher grade levels and highlights the emotional and academic impact caused by a teacher’s lack of demographic awareness and MLs’ linguistic needs. For example, in Chapter 1, Zacarian points out that the number of qualified teachers and administrators in bilingual education in the United States is insufficient to accommodate the rapidly growing population of MLs with notably greater poverty levels. In this section, the author provides an overview of various bilingual programs, focusing on the decision-making and selection of the optimal model for a language assistance program. Additionally, in order to better understand how policy development and actual implementation differ from one another, Zacarian evaluates the effectiveness of multilingual programs in U.S. school systems through research-based assessments over an extended period of time. In Chapters 4 and 5, the author discusses MLs’ linguistic development, ESL standards for grades K–12, and the importance of establishing connection between curriculum design, instructional planning, and assessment techniques. This section provides readers with an overview of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE), and World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) instructional models and assessment tools. This section also offers several resources, including home language surveys, parent letters, family interview samples, and assessment tools for newly identified or returning language learners.
In the second section of the book, the author focuses on the significance of family involvement in MLs’ academic lives. The author introduces a framework for fostering a collaborative relationship between parents and schools to bridge the gap resulting from cultural differences and misconceptions. Chapters 7 and 8 address the significance of identifying the educational needs of MLs. For example, the author describes the importance of identifying students with different learning abilities and provides information about appropriate referrals, interventions, and support services. In addition, Zacarian stresses the importance of establishing a connection with the ML families to understand how linguistic and/or cognitively diverse factors may contribute to delayed learning. Chapter 8 emphasizes employing appropriate student performance metrics to help with decision-making. For this purpose, the author includes a set of reflective questions, legal obligation checklists, state standards, and regulations to inform readers, especially English language educators, curriculum supervisors, and school administrators.
Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators offers a thorough analysis, research-based recommendations, and a complete roadmap for administrators, English language educators, and stakeholders to effectively support MLs in achieving their academic objectives. This book can also be used as a guide for educators exploring ways to improve teaching methods to overcome cultural and linguistic inequity in schools. Each chapter in this book presents intellectually stimulating questions and valuable resources for pre-service and in-service language teachers to enhance their understanding of the efficacy of bilingual programs and models. Readers can also access online resources and download materials from a companion website.
The primary limitation of this book is the lack of clarity regarding how educators can provide accommodations to MLs with limited English proficiency during screening. For instance, during timed assessments, MLs sometimes struggle to comprehend instructions and process information. Managing frequent evaluations in sizable classes containing both MLs and native English speakers can also be a time-consuming task for educators. Furthermore, the author proposes collaboration among curriculum supervisors, school administrators, and English language educators in Chapters 1-5; however, including strategies for cultivating these partnerships would be more advantageous to readers. For the most part, the author’s recommendations and resources center on observations, assessments, and evaluations. Readers could benefit from additional examples and strategies for developing and modifying curricula for MLs of various backgrounds.
The main objective of this book is to spread awareness among readers who are working or beginning to work with MLs to foster a learning environment where they can achieve their linguistic and academic goals. School administrators and language educators could adopt the pedagogical approaches mentioned in this book which would benefit the MLs and their families. Even though the content of this text is geared to support curriculum supervisors, school superintendents, and English language educators in U.S. school systems, the concepts and resources discussed are also relevant to educating MLs internationally.
To Cite this Review
Khan, I. (2024). [Review of the book. (2023), Transforming Schools for Multilingual Learners: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators (Second Edition) by D. Zacarian]. Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28 (1). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28110r1
About the reviewer
Iram Khan is a Doctoral Candidate in TESOL Education at the University of Central Florida USA. Her sub-specialization is Instructional Technology. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership-higher education, as well as a B.A. in English literature-creative writing from the same university. She works as an instructor and a service-learning coordinator for the teacher education program at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on the use of technology in diverse classrooms to support the academic needs of learners. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0115-922X <iram.khan@ucf.edu>
References
Lin, M., & Bates, A. (2014). Who is in my classroom? Teachers preparing to work with culturally diverse students. International Research in Early Childhood Education, 5(1), 27-42. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1151003.pdf
Race, R. (2017). [Review of the book Global migration, Diversity, and Civic education: Improving policy and Practice. edited by J. A. Banks, M. M. Suárez-Orozco and M. Ben-Peretz]. London Review of Education, 15(3), 554–555. https://doi.org/10.18546/LRE.15.3.17
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