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After working with language learners for over a decade, one thing is clear: modifying instruction to support learning needs is an ABSOLUTE MUST. With this being said, most teachers struggle with identifying just how to scaffold their rigorous project-based learning for their emergent multi-lingual learners.

Teachers CARE deeply about ALL of their students. Let’s take a second to acknowledge that building in scaffolds and providing modification isn’t lowering the bar, but building a ladder to reach the same high expectations!

The Core Philosophy (Universal Design)

You may have heard the concept, “Low floor, high ceiling.” This means that our lessons are designed to be accessible to all (low floor) while providing depth and challenge for advanced learners (high ceiling).

When you plan for the most vulnerable learners like emergent multi-lingual students, you end up creating better resources for all students, including those with learning differences.

The Three Pillars of Modification (The Actionable Items)

1. Visuals as a Primary Source

Replace text-heavy instructions with icon-based or pictorial steps. At Level 1 and 2, students are often expected to explain, describe, or summarize. These are high-cognitive tasks that require advanced vocabulary.

Shift from RETELL to REPRESENT. Allow students to use graphic organizers (storyboards, flow charts, labeled diagrams) instead of paragraphs. This allows them to demonstrate content mastery without being blocked by syntax and verb conjugation.

NOTE: Remember that this doesn’t solely refer to the activity itself or the content of the class. This includes the Language of Instruction. A newcomer student is at the very beginning stages of language learning. So instructional language, classroom expectations, and school culture include language and norms that need to be explicitly taught as well! Check out some examples below for using visuals as a primary source.

1. Post visuals for classroom norms. This will free up mental space so they can focus on content during their learning and refer back to these visuals when needing to remember expectations and routines.
2. Include visual vocabulary notebooks. Always pair project vocabulary with images. If the project is about ecosystems, provide a glossary that includes the word, a definition, and a picture of the concept (e.g., “Predator” + image of a hawk).
3. Use videos or screencasts (possibly with L1 subtitles) to build background. ACCESS 1 & 2 students often struggle with “blank page syndrome” because they lack the specific academic lexicon needed to start the task. Previewing content will help fill in those blank pages.

2. Scaffold Output

Shift from open-ended writing prompts and independent learning to providing various language supports and targeted partnering. Here your intent is to guide the students’ thoughts.

1. Incorporate sentence starters and sentence frames. A sentence starter is solely the beginning of a sentence while a frame helps guide the students entire structural thought. These tools reduce the cognitive load by giving students a beginning point. For example, “I notice…” versus “I agree with (name) because (reason).” Additionally, instead of asking “How does the water cycle work?”, provide: “The water cycle begins when _______ turns into _______ due to _______.”
2. Stick to the “I do, We do, You do” approach to instruction. Modeling the task and practicing it together will bolster their confidence and better equip them to tackle the learning independently.
3. Create purposeful partnering. Whether its placing students in mixed-level groups, or simply having your newcomers closer in proximity to you for easy access to support, there are numerous ways you can organize partners to better support your language learners.

3. Alternative Modes

Redefine what “completion” looks like. Analyze their language scores to identify their strengths. You can use these strengths to provide alternative options for demonstrating their skills and understanding.

1. Modify the structure. If the grading rubric requires a 5-sentence paragraph, modify the rubric for the level 1/2 student to require 3 sentences and 2 labeled diagrams. They are still demonstrating the same understanding of the content, just through a different modality. Another option is to change the mode of the activity. For example, instead of requiring an essay, provide slide templates that students can use to fill in key information.
2. Incorporate art. Many students thrive in showcasing their understanding using art. Think one-pagers, posters, or infographics!
3. Make it oral! Instead of long written journal entries to provide evidence of learning, allow students to record their responses. Many language learners come from a rich, oral heritage therefore their speaking skills often grow faster than their writing skills.

Prioritize “Can Dos” and Start Small

Remember to focus on what students can do with the language they have. Your district/school should have a way for you to get a close look at their language scores by domain and what that means for what the students are already capable of doing with the English language.

My recommendation is to start with just one project modification at a time rather than overhauling your entire curriculum. Think quality over quantity! The more comfortable you get with it the more adding it in will become second nature. Then start incorporating the next one!