Group Information
Podcast topic: "Multilingual Classrooms: Designing for Diversity"
Students present ideas from their Multilingual Pedagogy Application project, discussing
how to create linguistically responsive learning environments.
Script:
Laila: Hi! Today we will be discussing our sociolinguistic perspective that we have created
during this course and group project. We will be using the topic :"Multilingual Classrooms:
Designing for Diversity," which will be guiding this discussion. We will be looking into how
teachers can really make a difference for their students in the classroom, and create a safe and
healthy environment for all children in their classrooms.
Angelique: True! We will be exploring how important it is to make sure multilingual classrooms
have the same safe environment that any other classroom does. So, how should classrooms be
designed that will create this positive environment for all students?
Laila: Great question, this is why we are creating our sociolinguistic perspective. Language is a
beautiful thing that can connect everyone, especially in the classroom. We can communicate
with people that don’t necessarily speak the same language as us, we can communicate with
everyone when we work together and are motivated to do so.
Angelique: Yes, that's a great point! We should look at our differences and use them to our
advantage. We can learn why some people feel left out in the classroom setting. We will learn
how important it is that we understand one another as the core foundation to these
improvements in the classroom
Laila: Next, we looked into ethnographic approaches. We looked into and observed how
children use their home language at school, and how much they speak english at home.
Angelique: Exactly, we found as though really understanding children's communities would be a
crucial part to this project being successful. Therefore, now we can see how lesson plans can
incorporate and include all children to feel more comfortable, understood, and heard, in the
classroom, and how much of an impact teachers can truly have on their students' lives.
Laila: To our next point, linguistically and culturally creating responsive learning environments.
There are a few different ways that we can reach this goal. We can use multiple different
languages in the classroom, one I tend to like a lot is creating pictures and drawings to explain
ourselves and understand one another. Translangauging will be heavily encouraged in the
classroom to combine all of their languages. As well as bringing culture into lesson plans.
Angelique: Yes, not only do we want to just teach culture and translanguaging in the classroom,
but this will also increase confidence in students! Which is our main focus as teachers.
Laila: Another important thing we have to look into is broader implications for multilingual
education. This includes everyone being encouraging and motivated to learn, a group effort.
Angelique: Definitely, schools need more resources and promotion when it comes to inclusivity
of all students, it's not only up to the teachers alone. In order for this change to be made it
includes each school. When working together everything is possible.
Laila: Yes, this is an ongoing process, this will take a lot of time and everyone's focus and help.
We need to use diversity as a superpower in the classroom.
Angelique: Let's dive deeper into how we can reshape classrooms to be more inclusive of
culture and create an amazing environment for all students and schools.
Laila: To really show you guys about how impactful this work can be, we conducted our own
project. I used me hispanic group DAMAS for this project
Angelique: and I used my hispanic church for this project
Laila: First, we created a powerpoint lesson plan to create a fun and collaborative way to include
language and culture. What came with this, was adding a fun background to our slides as well
as coming up with our title, that is a crucial part to all projects.
Angelique: What makes this project so meaningful is that we were able to use these hispanic
groups that we are so close to in order to show how we can combine culture. Our participants
were able to bring their experiences and voices to this project, which was so amazing to see.
Laila: Yes! That made this project so fun to create. Next, we had some open ended questions
which start the brainstorming process of our project
Angelique: Yes, this allows our participants to initiate conversation with themselves as well as
their peers.
Laila: We had two major steps for this project. The first one was creating five questions for our
participants to answer on the five posit it notes they were each given
Angelique: The five questions asked to our participants were, 1. What are the names of the
countries that we will be connecting to today? 2. What is your favorite food from each culture? 3.
What’s our favorite city in each country? 4. What's your favorite hobby from each
culture/country? 5. What symbol do you think of when you hear the name of each country you
belong to?
Laila: Step 2 was drawing the answer to each of these posits. We drew our own examples as
well as our participants creating their own drawings as well. The participants were given pencils
and crayons to create these cultural drawings
Angelique: This was a great low-pressure, fun to complete with our participants. This helped our
participants create a safe environment to express themselves and their cultures. The lessons
helped create conversation in both of our groups. All of our participants were having such
amazing conversations because of this lesson that initiated cultural conversations. It builds
bridges to one another
Laila: Yes! It builds bridges between one another and our languages. When people are shown to
do lesson plans like this. It brings us all together and incorporates identities that don’t feel
separate anymore. They all start to understand one another.
Angelique: Which is called a Cultural first classroom. We chose this title because we feel as
though lessons plans like this where we start conversation and bring people together can really
make this change in the classroom.
Laila: Lesson plans like this limit when classrooms only prioritize one language on accident.
Multilingual students most times feel as though they have to leave their culture at the door, and
not speak, or speak their language that is not English. When we encourage students to
incorporate every part of themselves, it will build the foundation over time that they can be
themselves without having to worry about being judged for it.
Angelique: Their confidence grows. We saw how comfortable our students became talking
about their cultures and connecting it to American culture. Showing themselves that they can
combine their identities to form one. Drawing created a free environment where there are no
rights and wrongs, but only expression.
Laila: This all ties back to making sure our students feel safe. When students feel free to
express themselves they are more likely to connect to everything more deeply in the classroom.
This will help them feel confident in the decisions they are making and know that they don’t
have to worry about anything other than the task at hand.
Angelique: Let's talk more about how beneficial drawing really is for students. Drawing not only
combines cultures, but it allows for students to communicate without having to worry about if
they know the word they are trying to say in english
Laila: Exactly, this method allows for students to draw exactly what they are thinking without
having to worry about the spelling as well. All they have to do is draw the words they would be
saying. Which creates a colorful representation of their words.
Angleique: Yes, and the addition of posit it notes to this project allowed for any additional
thought to be added to the question they were building off of. They could build on their ideas
freely.
Laila: And when we combine these two practices, we create a balance between visual and
written communication. This creates a platform for students to express themselves truly and
authentically without any worries. It creates the additional reaction of a stress free activity for the
students.
Angelique: Imagine trying this in your classroom. A teacher could ask students to represent their
cultural backgrounds, languages spoken at home, traditions, or even personal values using
drawings and notes. Then, as a class students can combine their work into a shared space.
Promoting a further class collaborative discussion.
Laila:This shared space creates a platform that can reach past then just the classroom, it
creates a community reflection on these lessons. They are able to then see not only their own
identity but their peers' identities and cultures. Which will lead to a broader understanding of
everyone.
Angelique: This is when acceptance begins to grow. Students will see diversity as something
that exists in our environment and to embrace it. Which will build empathy and understanding in
our students from a young age.
Laila: We also noticed how big of an impact teachers have on the classroom. They facilitate the
environment and create a safe space for everyone, that allows for everyone to learn from one
another.
Angelique: And that is essential to our classrooms today. All students come from such unique
and multicultural backgrounds that everyone should be seeing it as a strength.
Laila: Another essential part of all of this is to think about the American students who speak
English at home and school. This allows for English speakers to be brought into a conversation
learning different cultures. They will be able to understand the importance of diversity in our
lives and engage in further creative conversations from what they learn in the classroom.
Angelique: Exactly, it encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and self reflection. It teaches all
students that there is no right way to express ourselves, but that there are so many ways to
express ourselves.
Laila: So, if you are an educator listening to this, think about incorporating lesson plans like this
and different tools we used in your own classroom. Think about how these changes can make
such a big impact on your students' lives. Drawings and post notes don’t require a lot of
resources, but they do require the attention to be used effectively to benefit the classrooms.
Angelique: And attention is what creates this inclusive classroom that is so necessary for
healthy development of students. It’s about valuing students' voices, honoring their identities,
and giving them the tools to express themselves fully.
Laila: At the end of the day, our project showed us that when students feel seen, heard, and
valued, and thrive as individuals.
Angelique; This is the kind of learning environment every student deserves.
Laila: Thank you so much for listening. We hope this conversation inspires you to think
differently about language, culture, and identity in your own classroom.
Angelique: And remember that every student brings a world with them. It’s up to us to create the
space where those worlds can come together and form something beautiful.
Both: Talk to you all soon