Joseph: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the first episode of our podcast “Teachers of the Future”! The show where we explore the evolving world of education with the people shaping it. I’m your host, Joseph, and today’s episode, we’re talking about something every future educator needs to be thinking about from day one:
How do we design classrooms that are responsive to linguistic variation and affirming of linguistic diversity?
But even more importantly, how do we, as future teachers, actually put this into practice?
Joining me are three incredible future educators who bring experience, insight, and actionable strategies to help us make our future classrooms language-inclusive spaces. Let’s meet our guests!
(*****u guys can write a short intro about urselfs, like ur name and majors and maybe where ur from)
Gianna: Hi, I’m Gianna and I am from Mineola NY and I attend Adelphi University. I am a psychology major but I am in the STEP program to become an elementary school teacher. I am Italian and can partially speak and understand, but English is my first language.
William:
Ava: Hi, I’m Ava and I’m from Bayside, NY and I attend Adelphi University where I major in exercise science. I’m passionate about exploring how language and culture come together especially in educational settings.
Main Conversation:
Joseph: Awesome! Let's get into it
To begin, allow me to quickly discuss what we will be going over because it is a bit of a mouthful, so let’s break it down.
To be responsive to linguistic variation means recognizing that students speak in many different ways, through different languages, dialects, and cultural expressions, and that these ways of speaking are legitimate, meaningful, and worthy of inclusion.
And to affirm linguistic diversity means we’re not just “putting up with” different language styles, we’re actively valuing them in how we teach, communicate, and connect with our students.
Why does this matter for us as future teachers? Because language is tied to identity. If we ignore or try to erase a student’s language, we risk erasing a part of who they are.
So today, we’re diving into how you, yes, you, future educator, can intentionally build classrooms that welcome all voices from day one.
Now that we all have this understanding, we can go back to our main question: “How do we design classrooms that are responsive to linguistic variation and affirming of linguistic diversity?” Allow me to begin.
Personally, "In my future classroom, I will design a learning environment that’s responsive to linguistic variation by first making sure all students feel the way they speak. and the languages or dialects they bring with them are respected and valued. I want my students to know that their language is not something to fix or hide, but something to be proud of.
I will incorporate books, media, and learning materials that reflect diverse language use, and I’ll encourage students to share their home languages and ways of speaking during discussions and assignments. I’ll also use translanguaging strategies, where students can move between English and their home languages to make meaning, because I believe that honoring their full linguistic range supports deeper learning.
Most of all, I will create a classroom culture where students are never made to feel 'less than' because of how they speak. I want them to see that their voice matters—and that their language is a strength, not a barrier."
And that is all for me. Let's shift our focus to the responses of our guest speakers!
(***type ur responses to the question “How do we design classrooms that are responsive to linguistic variation and affirming of linguistic diversity?” here)
Gianna: I really found what you said interesting Joseph and it got me thinking about how I feel about this topic and what I want my learning environment to feel like. When I become a teacher, which is only a few years away now, I want my classroom environment to be a place where students feel empowered by the language that they speak and the way that they speak it. I don't want my students to walk into my classroom and feel ashamed of the language that they speak and feel that they need to hide it or create a fake persona for school. I want to recognize and encourage all forms of languages in my classroom. Especially those that carry value, history, and identity. To me it will not matter what language they are choosing to speak in, I just want to make it known and that the students understand their voices matter and that their voices are and will be heard.
Our host previously mentioned a concept called translanguaging. That is allowing students to create conversation using both English and their home language. I believe that using this concept allows students to write and speak in their own voices. It also allows students to use their full linguistic range to process and express ideas, especially when it helps them to learn more effectively.
Something else that I will do is give my students the opportunity to share their linguistic and cultural background through assignments and projects. This will give students the opportunity to share with not only their classmates but me as well where they come from, and how their cultural backgrounds make them who they are as an individual.
Something that I have learned over time is that language is something that is deeply personal to individuals, and if I want to create an inclusive classroom, I have to treat it that way. So for me, designing a linguistically responsive and affirming learning environment is not just something to consider as a teaching strategy, it is a commitment to equity, identity, and belonging.
William:
Ava: Designing classrooms that respect linguistic diversity starts by understanding that language is tied to a student’s identity and culture. Teachers can create more inclusive environments by encouraging students to use the languages or dialects they are comfortable with, rather than pushing everyone to speak the same way. It’s also important to train educators to see linguistic diversity as a strength, not a barrier or an incorrect way of speaking. This can include using approaches like translanguaging where students can switch between languages based on what works best for them. Lastly, involving the families and communities in the conversation helps ensure that the classroom reflects the important values and languages of the community which can make students feel seen and valued. Overall, it's about creating a safe space where all linguistic backgrounds are respected.

Outro:
Joseph: Wow, these were such powerful responses. It seems that we are almost out of time, so I would like to thank you all so much for being here today! For those of us building our first classrooms, this conversation is gold.
To our listeners, keep this in mind as you step into your new role: Every voice belongs in your classroom. Every language has a place. And you have the power to make sure that’s true.
This has been “Teachers of the Future”. Thanks for listening, and we will see you next week for more linguistic conversations. Goodbye.