Fact or Myth?
If students use their home language in class, it’ll get in the way of learning English.
Myth! Students often use their L1 to process, translate, and make sense of new concepts. It supports, not disrupts, their English learning.
Why is it a problem to expect students to “leave their language at the door”?
It can make students feel invisible or ashamed. When L1 is ignored, students may be less likely to participate or take risks.
"What would you do?"
A new student joins your class who speaks little to no English and no shared language with you. What strategies would you use best support them?
Students who are quiet in class usually just need more time to build English skills.
Myth! Some students may be quiet because they feel their L1 isn’t valued, or because they’ve learned not to share that part of themselves. Silence isn’t always about ability.
How can using L1 improve participation, especially for quiet students?
Students may feel safer expressing themselves in their home language first. It builds confidence and often leads to more participation in English over time.
All language learners have roughly the same starting point when learning English.
Myth! Most EAL students already have literacy in multiple languages, while others are learning to read for the first time in any language.
What’s a transparent language, and how is it different from an opaque one?
In transparent languages (e.g., Spanish), spelling and pronunciation match. Opaque languages (e.g., English, French) have irregular spelling/sound rules, making them harder to decode without strong foundational strategies.
When students are taught to connect English academic vocabulary to words or structures in their home language, it can help them build stronger vocabulary.
Fact! Teaching through comparison especially using root words gives students an anchor to understand academic terms. It also validates what they already know.
How does skill transfer work when students are learning more than one language?
As students learn more languages they develop strategies to decode and apply to the target language, adding to their strategies from their L1.
Students learning a third language, like French, often use English to help them... even if English isn’t their first language.
Fact! In the NB French immersion study, students used English as a bridge to understand French. This shows that all language knowledge is interconnected, even when English is technically an L2.
Why might a student with strong L1 reading skills succeed in French immersion, even if they’re new to French?
Core reading strategies and comprehension skills are transferable. If a student has those in L1 or English, they can apply them to French too.