Reimagining Equity: Leading Change for Multilingual Learners in Middle School

 

     When I first started teaching at Montbello Middle School in Denver three years ago, I quickly learned that equitable instruction is not just about giving everyone the same tools; it is about truly understanding each student's unique needs and strengths. Many of my students come from countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Haiti, and Afghanistan. They have faced disrupted education and language barriers, which makes a traditional approach useless. Creating equity means to reshape our teaching practices to honor the diverse experiences of every learner.

     As educators, we have an essential role to redefine success in ways that respect our students' identities. This is not easy because it challenges our ideas about intelligence and language. But when we prioritize equity, our students begin to succeed, interestingly, because of their differences. Here, I will share five strategies to increase equitable instructional practices. Each strategy has examples from my own experiences teaching culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners in Denver, CO during the last three school years.

1. Use Culturally Relevant Curriculum and Materials:
• Research by Shockley and Ellis (2023) emphasized the importance of selecting materials that reflect our students’ diverse backgrounds. In my Spanish Language Arts classes, we watched the film César Chávez and discussed themes of immigration, labor rights, and social justice in a debate developing critical thinking skills. Students connected deeply because they shared personal stories of their families’ experiences. This  definitely enhanced their learning.
  
  
  
2. Redefine "Smartness" to Disrupt Bias:
• Anthropology and Education Quarterly (2022) noted that it is critical to challenge how academic ability is often unfairly related to language fluency or racial identity. I experienced this firsthand when advocating for my newcomers from Venezuela. By highlighting their Spanish writing as equally rigorous and valuable as English assignments, I helped colleagues recognize their talents and reduce implicit biases. Also, my middle school SLA students from Venezuela and Mexico surprised all the staff when they participated representing their countries in a United Nations model debate event with other students from High School. They exceded everyone's expectations.
3. Create Classroom Structures That Foster Student Voice:
• Shockley and Ellis (2023) claimed that equitable classrooms empower student voice and build belonging. In my classroom, I have implemented student led discussions where they speak in their home languages first and then translate ideas into English. That is because I teach ELD and SLA to the same students. This strategy not only boosts their confidence but validates their multilingual abilities, creating a more inclusive environment.
4. Engage Families Through Culturally Responsive Communication:
• Zhao et al. (2024) commented that strong school-family connections significantly influence student success. My school conducts virtual Parent Teacher Home Visits. In this opportunity we make sure to communicate in families' home languages. These visits help build genuine relationships because they allow parents to become active participants in their children's education, and participant teachers make sure to show appreciation of their involvement.
5. Support Language Development Across Systems:
• Effective language development does not just happen in ESL or ELD classrooms. Zhao et al. (2024) suggested that it involves the entire school ecosystem. At Montbello, I have collaborated with science, social studies, ELA and math teachers to incorporate language scaffolds into their lessons so we can better support our multilingual learners (MLLs). I suggest very simple strategies like sentence starters, visuals, and vocabulary support across subjects to make language learning a school wide responsibility.

     Equitable instruction is more than an educational approach, It is an ethical commitment that we make to our students every day. As educational leaders, it is crucial that we embrace these strategies to make sure that every student feels valued and capable. When we commit to equity, we do not just change classrooms; we open doors, create opportunities, and transform lives.

References

Looking smart: Race and academic ability in a diversifying middle school. (2022). Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 53(2), 149–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/aeq.12408

Shockley, E. T., & Ellis, V. M. (2023). The perspectives and pedagogies of middle school social justice educators. Middle School Journal, 54(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2022.2142004

Zhao, P., Hassan, A., & Burhanuddin, N. A. N. (2024). A systematic review of factors influencing English language competency for ethnic minority students: An ecological systems theory perspective. Cogent Education, 11(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2415730