Last week I was interviewed for an upcoming piece of research focused on what is hot and not in literacy, education, and research.

The question around bilingual, or multilingual learners was asked and I indicated the need for much more research in this area. This is predominantly due to the fact that there is a need to better understand the literacy practices of these learners in the context of the changes in a digitally connected society.

The population of non-native English speakers has continued to grow dramatically over the first decade of the 21st century, as the United States (U.S.) has experienced dramatic demographic shifts in the cultural, linguistic, and ethnic composition of the population. Because of this and many other reasons, today’s mainstream classrooms increasingly include students for whom English is a second language.

They are the most rapidly growing group of students in our nation’s schools, and with a language barrier to participation and access in the education system, they are also disproportionately underserved and underachieving. As teaching and learning are increasingly digitized, and our students interact as global citizens, it is imperative that we consider opportunities to assist learners from around the globe as they interact and communicate with others in networked learning spaces.

As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the development of informed, literate members of the global community becomes ever more critical. As Internet connectivity becomes more ubiquitous around the globe, the next major influx of citizens to the web will be non-native English speakers. This transition is made even more complex as educators and students negotiate a world in which English is sometimes viewed as the lingua franca. The education of English language learners is a matter of increasing urgency for the global community concerned about education and youth. Individual, personalized student-centered instruction from experts in the field is needed more now than ever before.

Given the significance of online informational text in schools and society, it is important to develop instructional opportunities designed to build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed by students as they connect from diverse cultures in a global classroom. The EL student population grows much faster than the overall student population, as the academic performance of non-native English speakers continues to lag behind their native speaker counterparts. Within this context, educators are seeking ways to engage ELs in the classroom.  There is a need to help educators consider not only how to integrate ELs into the classroom and mainstream society, but also how to help them excel. I believe that our goal in these endeavors is to not only focus on the education of ELs, but to a greater extent empower all learners.

We need spaces to listen to the educators and researchers that serve on the front lines of educating youth. They know how to help ELs negotiate these spaces and practices. Furthermore, this theme of empowerment is extended to these interactions with the reader as educators are encouraged to trust their instincts and make pedagogical decisions to help ELs succeed. Due to the incredible changes that are occurring as we move into a networked, plurilingual society, we can use this as a topographical map to help educators develop an awareness of future ways to not only educate but also empower ELs.

Together, the growing numbers of ELs, the persistent achievement gaps and barriers to access, and an increasingly high set of stakes add up to a seminal moment for people and institutions investing in the world’s society. Fortunately, this is an era in which a strong research and practice base offers a consistent foundation to draw upon for solutions. In addition, there is a growing group of educators who are experienced in addressing the challenges facing ELs and the schools that serve them and can offer the lens of their experiences, expertise, and lessons learned. We need to consolidate these areas of expertise and provides granular advice on preparing all students for success, regardless of where they live on the globe, or the language they speak.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash