Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall: Essential Shifts for Multilingual Learners' Success

Dual language education is the most effective pathway to multilingualism, and recent shifts in state policies have increased the demand for dual language programming. Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall provides educators with the systemic and pedagogical approaches necessary for successful multilingual and dual language programs, such as shifting the paradigm from one that is subtractive and deficit-based to one that is additive and assets-based, embedding culturally and linguistically sustaining practices, and developing assessments as, for, and of learning in multiple languages.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2024
Publisher: SAGE Publications Inc

Dual language education is the most effective pathway to multilingualism, a tremendous asset that must be nurtured and valued. Despite significant evidence attesting to the cognitive, social/emotional, and economic benefits of multilingualism, the majority of our classrooms and schools are monolingual. Recent shifts in state policies have increased the demand for dual language programming in our schools, bringing new challenges such as the need for more bilingually authorized teachers, high-quality instructional resources, and accurate assessment and accountability in the target languages of instruction.

Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall, with contributions from ten experts in multilingual education, outlines the systemic and pedagogical approaches necessary for successful multilingual and dual language programs. The book supports educators to shift the paradigm from one that is subtractive and deficit-based to one that is additive and assets-based, embed culturally and linguistically sustaining practices in their instruction, understand how to promote multilingualism in the context of teaching academic content, develop assessments as, for, and of learning in multiple languages, and lead high-quality dual language schools and programs.

Offering a comprehensive overview of bilingual policies and historical context, all educators should understand, Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall is an invaluable guide to creating dual language learning environments that build on the precious assets of our multilingual students.

Weight: 642g
Dimension: 177 x 252 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781071895535